NEW AIRPORT EVALUATION DEMANDED

Northside People 17 - 23 Jan 07

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny stated last week that there should be a proper evaluation of another airport to service the Greater Dublin Area.

PROPOSALS by Fine Gael for a second airport to be developed in the Greater Dublin area has been met with cautious agreement from some sections on the Northside.

Party leader Enda Kenny stated last week that there should be a proper evaluation of another airport to service the Greater Dublin area.

Brendan Ryan, labour's candidate in Dublin North for the next general election, said this was consistent to what he had outlined to United Portmarnock Residents Opposed to Another Runway (UPROAR) in relation to the proposed new parallel runway at Dublin Airport.

Mr Ryan said at the time that there should be a proper cost-benefit analysis before proceeding with the proposed new runway.

He attended the oral hearing of the appeal to An Bord Pleanala against Fingal County Council's decision to grant planning permission for the new runway.

Mr Ryan delivered a submission calling on the board to refuse permission pending a "proper" evaluation of all alternatives, including the development of a new commercial airport in the Greater Dublin/Leinster area.

"Imagine the impact of 40 million passenger movements per year into the future," said Mr Ryan. "Major traffic congestion affecting business and the quality of life for citizens will result.

"Residents in areas such as Portmarnock, St Margaret's, Rivervalley and Ridgewood Estate, Swords, in particular, will be affected by increased noise pollution.

"There will be a requirement for miles of parking with a possible flooding impact on the region," he said.

Mr Ryan said for these reasons he was recommending the establishment of an independent study to assess the feasibility of a Greater Dublin/Leinster Airport as an alternative to the proposed second runway.

"As Dublin Airport has the capacity, at present, to accommodate 25 to 26 million passengers per annum, loss of jobs into the future within Dublin Airport will not be an issue," Mr Ryan said.

Meanwhile, Matthew Harley, a spokesman for UPROAR, said the only responsible way to determine what is in the national interest is to undertake a thorough independent evaluation of all realistic options.

Mr Harley pointed out that Dublin Airport is highly subsidised and currently has the lowest passenger charge of all the major airports in Europe, at less than 50 per cent of the European average charge.

"If this uncompetitive subsidy was removed, as it might have to be under competition rules, the case for a second airport to be built on the thousands of hectares of State-owned cutaway bog within 50km of Dublin would be overwhelming," Mr Harley stated.

He said Dublin Airport would become a higher cost but more sustainable and efficient Dublin City Airport and could continue to be an "engine of growth" for the Fingal area.

"Business in Fingal would thrive with reduced road congestion and Dublin Airport would be in a better position to cater for a higher value-added business clientele, while a second GDA airport would cater more for the higher volume, lower cost users," Mr Harley added.