North Runway jobs initiative is held

THE Dublin Airport Authority (daa), in partnership with Empower, the Fingal-based community development company, and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, hosted an event last week to promote local job opportunities associated with the North Runway project.

Meet the Contractor was held as part of Empower’s One Step Closer programme, which trains long-term jobseekers in skills where there are employment opportunities such as the construction of Dublin Airport’s North Runway.

David Frizell, daa North Runway Senior Project Manager, said: ”The delivery of North Runway is a critical piece of national infrastructure which will bring huge economic benefits for Fingal and for Ireland.  

“We have recently appointed Irish-Spanish consortium Roadbridge and FCC Construcción to design and build North Runway.

“The project will support in the region of 300 jobs during its development and we are delighted to partner with Empower’s One Step Closer programme to showcase the potential job opportunities arising from this project.”

Empower chief executive Adeline O’Brien said the event enabled jobseekers to meet the Roadbridge FCC representatives as well as local services that support their transition into employment. 

“The One Step Closer programme isn’t just about filling jobs, it also addresses societal barriers participants may be experiencing,” said Ms O’Brien.  

“We want to increase resilience in our local community and build confidence and self-belief, so that those in long-term unemployment will have the confidence to make a positive change in their lives.”

Mobilisation and preparatory site works for North Runway are underway and groundworks will start in the new year. 

Construction of the new runway is due to be completed in early 2021 and commissioning will then take place.

North Runway will be built at no cost to the State – as daa is not funded by the taxpayer – and its delivery will support the creation of 31,200 new Irish jobs and €2.2 billion in additional economic activity by 2043.