Malcolm Byrne TD will this afternoon in the Dáil introduce a Bill for Dublin Airport to be officially renamed “Seán Lemass Dublin International Airport” in recognition of the former Taoiseach’s transformative contribution to modern Ireland.
Speaking in advance of a forthcoming Dáil motion, Deputy Byrne said that Seán Lemass was the architect of Ireland’s economic modernisation, a leader who opened the country to global investment, expanded industrial development, and positioned Ireland confidently on the international stage.
“Dublin Airport is Ireland’s gateway to the world. It should bear the name of a leader who helped open that gateway in the first place,” Deputy Byrne said.
“Seán Lemass oversaw the development of our aviation sector, championed national infrastructure, and laid the foundations for the open, outward-looking Ireland we know today.”
Deputy Byrne noted that major airports across the world are named after transformative political leaders, cultural icons, and national innovators.
Ireland, he said, should be no different. He cited Charles de Gaulle in Paris; JFK in New York; Trudeau in Montreal as examples
“Lemass stood for progress, ambition, and opportunity. Renaming the airport in his honour would reflect both our pride in his legacy and our confidence in Ireland’s future.”
The proposal, he added, is intended to spark a positive, national conversation about how Ireland recognises its modern trailblazers.
Deputy Byrne is happy to engage with Government, opposition parties, local representatives, and stakeholders in aviation and tourism on this issue.
“I know that there are many important issues to deal with at Dublin Airport including lifting the cap on passenger numbers, expanding, and looking to meet environmental targets.
“But I believe this is a small positive recognition on which we could all agree on.”