UPROAR
Over Airport Plans UPROAR, United Portmarnock Residents Opposed To Another Runway are exerting increasing pressure on local and national authorities in an effort to halt proceedings of the planned extension to Dublin Airport. Speaking to the County Leader Matthew Harley, of UPROAR, explained that the expansion plan aims to bring passenger numbers to 35 million per annum by 2020 and to a full capacity of 60 million by about 2035. "The
Green Party in government must stick to their position on this"
said Matthew, "an intensive analysis is required for these developments
and the Green's must push this issue". The group highlights that
when the airport reaches capacity, around 2035, the extra 40 million
passengers per year will be doing €680 million worth of global
warming damage per year. Using these figures UPROAR have determined
that the cost of the damage done by this expansion in climate change
damage UPROAR have thus sent a letter to the Chair of the Board of Governors at the European Investment Bank, Brian Cowen, outlining their concerns regarding the EIB's possible support for this development. The EIB is currently considering a possible €200 million loan to the Dublin Airport Authority for an extension to its Terminal 1 and other works. The group however are urging the EIB to withhold approval on the grounds that the development has not been subjected to proper assessment of its full costs and benefits as required by our Department of Finance. Speaking
to this newspaper however Cllr Ciaran Byrne, said "I have always
had an open mind on this issue. But the data being presented to halt
this progress is not convincing. The available information regarding
the economical, environmental, infrastructural and social elements of
the development leads me to support the airport's expansion. Certainly
we need to address the issue of climate damage but there are more effective
ways of doing this than hitting aviation. It would be a |