Green light for more night flights at Dublin Airport

The announcement that Dublin Airport will allow more night flights has been greeted with jubilation in certain corners and dismay in others.

On Thursday, Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) set out conditions for a noise quota system for nighttime operations at Dublin Airport.

Under the ruling, there will be an annual limit of 35,672 aircraft movements between 11pm and 7am – in effect, an average of 98 aircraft movements a night.

There will be no use of the new north runway between midnight and 6am, except in “exceptional specified circumstances,” and an insulation scheme will be introduced for eligible property owners.  

From a business perspective, Dublin Chamber said the move will “support inward investment by enabling international companies to engage directly with the Irish market.”

On the ground, residents from St Margaret’s The Ward have called the decision “a direct attack on our health and quality of life.”

Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien said, “maximising connectivity to and from Ireland is one of my priorities and one of the key commitments in the Programme for Government.”

Sinn Féin TD Ann Graves stated that “the Dublin Airport Authority must now listen and respond to residents’ concerns about the increase in night flights.”

The balance between environmental protection and economic growth and concerns of local residents versus big business, is a tightrope for any government to walk.

As is the case with any major decision, there are just as many people who are happy with the move as those who are dissatisfied with the decision.

The daa said that the decision marks a breakthrough in the passenger cap issue, with the daa hoping that this decision will be a factor in their favour when the final decision is made on the contentious topic.

daa CEO Kenny Jacobs said, “overall, this is a good decision for Ireland.”

“The North Runway is a critical enabler for the growth of Dublin Airport, which is needed to keep pace with population increases and economic opportunities. We invested hundreds of millions in a second runway to benefit Ireland, but have been hamstrung in using it effectively since it opened.”

Liam O’Gradaigh of St. Margaret’s The Ward asserted, “the repercussions of this decision extend far beyond the communities of St. Margaret’s and The Ward. Areas all across the Northside will experience a vast increase in night-time flights, robbing residents of much-needed sleep and exacerbating health issues, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Minister O’Brien said, “having met with local residents, I am also very aware of their concerns. It is important that daa continue to act as a ‘good neighbour’ by engaging with neighbouring communities, particularly in relation to the noise insulation scheme and other matters of concern.”

“This decision should enable daa to progress the planning applications which have been submitted to Fingal County Council. I encourage them to now move to respond to the requests for further information from the relevant authorities. This will facilitate the planning decisions necessary for the sustainable development of the airport.”

Sinn Féin TD Ann Graves said that while the decision was “not unexpected,” she said the decision is “concerning” for Northside residents. 

“There is also a serious question of trust,” stating that the DAA has “breached all planning conditions in relation to CAPs, night-time flights, flight paths and development of the infrastructure around the airport.”

“There will be a need for confidence-building between the airport authority, the Minister for Transport and communities in Fingal.”

“This decision provides certainty regarding planning and growth capacity to Dublin Airport Authority and stakeholders in a country where 90% of visitors arrive here by plane. The government must give serious consideration to developing regional airports rather than all flights having to land in Dublin Airport,” she noted.

The 80-page report noted, “aircraft are progressively becoming less noisy and there is a medium-to-long-term trend for this to happen organically rather than be driven by operating restrictions at individual airports.”

At a February meeting of Fingal County Council, councillors called for independent noise monitoring systems to be deployed around the airport.

Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart councillor Kieran Dennison said “we are the noise monitoring authority, and some citizens may feel we are relying on information that is not reliable.”

“Given that there’s been an undertaking to provide a further five mobile monitors that should satisfy local communities,” and added that the monitors were also needed in Dublin 15, along with the coastal areas of Fingal.

In 2024, noise complaints linked to Dublin Airport were up by 80% compared to the previous year, with Labour councillor James Humphreys saying that communities across the Northside have been “badly let down” by the daa.

“Persistent reporting of noise disturbance is internationally recognised as a marker of chronic environmental harm, not something to be dismissed or belittled,” he said.

Dublin Airport has become a hot political potato in recent years in light of the global environmental movement.

Owing to Ireland’s island nature, Dublin Airport is a vital piece of infrastructure, but Ireland is also uniquely exposed to climate change.

2021’s COP27 conference found that Dublin Airport emitted more than 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions in 2021, the single biggest producer of carbon emissions in the country, while statistics from early 2024 revealed that Dublin Airport produced 2.8 million tonnes of carbon emissions in 2019.

2.8 million tonnes of carbon is the equivalent of what 1.4 million cars would produce in a single year.

Research carried out by Irish Doctors for the Environment found that a return trip from Dublin to the Canaries emits 1 tonne of C02 per person, which is the same amount that an average person living in Africa produces in an entire year.

Speaking on Newstalk, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said that noise complaints surrounding Dublin Airport were “utter nonsense.”

Dismissing claims as “NIMBY nonsense,” O’Leary pointed out that Dublin Airport began operation in 1942.

“You built a house in the environs of Dublin Airport; Dublin Airport has been there since 1942; you either moved to the area or built a house in the area. Suck it up.”

In December 2023, a protest was held outside Fingal County Council after they held a meeting with Kenny Jacobs.

Over 250 people were in attendance at the pre-Christmas protest, with Meath resident and medical physicist  Serena Taylor saying that noise concerns should be taken seriously.”

“Many people will not even be aware that aircraft noise is disturbing their sleep quality, but over time there will be a decline in overall health and wellbeing. I would be concerned for all those living in close proximity to Dublin Airport and in particular, those who live within a 10-mile radius,” she told Northside People in December 2023.

“The DAA cannot be allowed to manipulate and muddy the waters at this late stage. It would make a mockery of the whole planning system in the country. They must follow the planning permission granted.”

Data from the meeting showed that noise levels close to Dublin Airport range from 55 to 63 decibels; research from the World Health Organisation shows that healthy noise levels in residential areas near airports should be 40 decibels or lower.