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Dublin Live
3 days ago
- Business
- Dublin Live
New Dublin Airport plane viewing facility given green light
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Planning permission to to build improved viewing facilities for the public to watch planes take off and land at Dublin Airport has been granted by Fingal County Council. The approval comes after daa recently provided Fingal County Council with additional information regarding a proposal submitted last year to significantly enhance the site of the current informal airport viewing point on Old Airport Road, locally known as "The Mound". When complete, the facility will provide a comfortable, dry and safe space for the community to view aircraft movements, with a clear view of the south runway (10R/28L) and the cross-wind runway (16/34) at Dublin Airport. The site is fully owned by Dublin Airport and daa will pay for the construction of the free-to-access facility as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting and working with the local community. The proposal will see the existing muddy grass mound and the adjacent informal parking area replaced with a dedicated car park. This will include spaces for people with reduced mobility and families, bike parking, and an elevated covered platform with seating. The facility will be fully-lit, with power provided by solar panels located on the site. Gary McLean, Managing Director of Dublin Airport, said: "This news will be cheered by locals, families and aviation enthusiasts all around the Dublin region. The public reaction to our proposal, which we'll pay for, has been incredibly positive and people really want it. This location has been an informal 'plane-spotting' area over the past 40 years and we think it's time to put a more formal facility in place. It's a rite of passage for kids in Dublin to be taken to 'The Mound' to watch the planes landing and taking off at the airport. This new facility will make it safer and more enjoyable for users and we think it's a facility that the local community will really enjoy. "Aircraft observation facilities are a feature of airports around the world, and we want to get on and build this as soon as possible. We look forward to working with the planning authority to deliver this much-wanted public amenity which will be used by locals young and old for decades to come. daa will now begin the process of identifying a contractor to bring our new facility to life and will provide an update on timelines very soon.' Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Examiner
26-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Dublin Airport breaks single-day passenger record
Dublin Airport recorded its busiest day in the airport's 85-year history on Sunday with 127,000 passengers passing through the terminal. The UK Bank Holiday is understood to be one of the drivers of the increase, but it is likely the state's largest airport will break further records this weekend and over the summer on the back of sustained demand for air travel to and from Ireland. In a post on LinkedIn on Sunday, Kenny Jacobs, the CEO of the operator daa, said it would be the busiest day in the airport's 85-year history, with 127,000 passengers coming and going and a flight every minute. "That's 2.5 times the capacity of the Aviva Stadium here today," he said. The airport is on track to handle more than 36m passengers this year. On busy weekends over the summer, it is expected the airport will break further daily records, handling up to 140,000 passengers on some days. Kevin Cullinane, Deputy Director of Communications for daa, said: "This historic milestone highlights the airport's significant role in connecting Ireland to the world and underscores the growing demand for air travel through Dublin Airport." Last month, the High Court suspended the enforcement of a 32m per year passenger cap at the airport. The suspension is pending the outcome of a legal challenge referred to Europe. Air traffic into Ireland fell by 0.5% in the first quarter due to the cap, but traffic through Dublin 7.8%. "With the cap at Dublin Airport having been referred to Europe, and with airlines consequently being able to keep filing for slots, the passenger cap is effectively now a zombie cap and the bigger issue for Ireland is that conversations need to switch to how planning in Ireland can go faster," Mr Jacobs said.
Irish Post
20-05-2025
- General
- Irish Post
Dublin Airport operator donates eight-hectare wildlife sanctuary to the public
THE operator of Dublin Airport has donated eight hectares of land it owns to the local authority to provide public access to the wildlife sanctuary. Daa, which operates both Dublin and Cork Airports, gifted the land in Kilsallaghan in North County Dublin to Fingal County Council for the nominal cost of €10. The firm had previously purchased the land at market value, they confirmed in a statement, as they announced the donation at the start of Biodiversity Week, which runs from May 16 to 25. 'We are delighted to gift the compensatory habitat at Kilsallaghan to the people of Fingal,' Andrea Carroll, Group Director of Sustainability at daa, said. daa has gifted the eight-hectare wildlife sanctuary to the public 'This initiative underscores our dedication to supporting biodiversity, nature regeneration, and fostering the connection between community and the natural environment.' This site is located at Thornton, near Coolquay, approximately six kilometres northwest of Dublin Airport. Daa was required to remove 15.8km of hedgerow at the site and develop the area to support a variety of native flora and fauna, under conditions imposed when it was granted permission for its North Runway project. Up until now the compensatory landscape, which has since been effectively rewilded, was not open to the general public. Now, following daa's donation, Fingal County Council will provide managed and supervised access to the site by arrangement - mainly for educational purposes, to 'ensure the ecological value of the habitat is not compromised'. The habitat is made up two-thirds woodland and one-third native grassland, while a specially constructed bat roost has been installed to encourage the bat population. 'Fingal has a rich and varied biodiversity and one of the challenges for the Council is to manage the development and growth of Fingal in a way that maintains and enhances our biodiversity for future generations,' Kevin Halpenny, Senior Parks and Landscape Officer with Fingal County Council, said. 'This compensatory habitat, which replaces 15.8km of hedgerow, is a good example of how we can align the protection of our biodiversity with development.' Áine Kirrane, daa's Group Environmental Manager, explained the collaborative efforts involved in developing the habitat. "This project has been a collaborative effort involving various departments and local stakeholders, especially Fingal County Council,' she said. 'We are proud to see it come to fruition and to offer this valuable resource to the community.' See More: DAA, Dublin Airport, Fingal, Kilsallaghan, Wildlife Sanctuary
Dublin Live
09-05-2025
- Business
- Dublin Live
Dublin Airport 'hopeful' work can progress on plane-spotting facility after Council requests
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Dublin Airport is hopeful that the delivery of a new dedicated "plane spotting" facility can progress after it provided Fingal County Council with additional information on the proposal. The proposed Aircraft Observation Facility will be located on the site of the current informal viewing point on Old Airport Road. Known as "The Mound", the site is fully owned by Dublin Airport and has been used by the public for 40 years to watch planes take off and land. According to daa, operator of Dublin Airport, the facility will provide a "comfortable and safe space for the community to view aircraft movements, with a clear view of the south runway (10R/28L) and the cross-wind runway (16/34)". Facilities in the planning application include a dedicated car park with 22 parking spaces (including two spaces for people with reduced mobility and two dedicated family spaces), bike parking, and an elevated covered platform with seating. It will also be fully-lit, with power provided by solar panels located on the site. Daa made an initial planning application to Fingal County Council last year, and they were requested to submit further information regarding aspects of the proposed development. The info provided by daa includes: An agreement to relocate bicycle parking facilities on the site Details of the materials that would be used in construction Answers to other questions posed by the planning authority regarding the decision to include/not include certain amenities within the development Managing Director of Dublin Airport Gary McLean said : "Aircraft observation facilities are a feature of airports around the world, and we want to get on and build this as soon as possible. The public reaction to our proposal, which we'd pay for, has been incredibly positive and people really want it. "This location has been an informal 'plane-spotting' area over the past 40 years and we think it's time to put a more formal facility in place. It's a rite of passage for kids in Dublin to be taken to 'The Mound' to watch the planes landing and taking off at the Airport. "This new facility would make it safer and more enjoyable for users and we think it's a facility that the local community will really enjoy. We look forward to working with the planning authority to deliver this much-wanted public amenity which would be used by locals young and old for decades to come." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
BreakingNews.ie
07-05-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Expanded US customs and border protection facility at Dublin Airport approved
An Bord Pleanála has given the green light to the operator of Dublin Airport, daa, for a planned expansion of the airport's existing US Customs Pre-Clearance and Border Protection facility. The grant of permission by An Bord Pleanála overturns a planning refusal by Fingal Co Council for the planned extension issued in July 2023. Advertisement The Council refused planning permission to daa for the expanded CBP after finding that the proposal would be premature pending the determination by the road authority of the detailed road network to serve the area. In response, daa lodged an appeal with its consultants, Coakley O'Neill hitting out at the Council refusal describing it as 'entirely unexpected, totally unreasonable and unjustified'. Now, almost two years on, the appeals board has granted planning permission for the facility which daa first proposed to deal with the 'chronic congestion' at the existing CBP facility. In a statement daa stated that 'it welcomes An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant permission, (after Fingal County Council refused) to extend the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) area at Dublin Airport. Advertisement Daa stated that 'Dublin Airport is the fifth largest hub for transatlantic connectivity in Europe and ABP recognised that the extension 'would promote Dublin Airport's status as a secondary hub, improving international connectivity and competitiveness in line with local, regional and national policy". The airport operator stated that 'Dublin Airport can now get on with improving the area for a better passenger experience'. In its decision, the appeals board also concluded that the proposal would not give rise to unacceptable impacts on traffic safety and convenience during the construction phase and operation and would not detract from the visual amenities or character of the area. A consultant's report lodged with the application in May 2023 outlined the capacity difficulties that the existing CBP presented. Advertisement The Coakley O'Neill report told the Council that the CBP overflow queuing system was required to be used five out of every seven days in the Summer of 2022 and was projected to be required even more in Summer 2023. They stated that the overflow queuing system 'is technically and logistically complex and cumbersome'. Coakley O'Neill stated that 'is is therefore the case that the current CBP facility does not have the capacity to cater for the existing passengers'. Coakley O'Neill stated that the proposed development 'is undeniably needed to ensure the efficient, comfortable and safe operation of the CBP facility at Dublin airport'. The CBP facilities at Dublin and Shannon airports allow US bound passengers to undertake all US immigration, customs and agriculture inspections at the airports prior to departure. The CBP facilities at Dublin and Shannon airports gives the airports a competitive advantage over most other airports operating services to the US as passengers who clear pre-clearance at Dublin and Shannon airports are treated as domestic arrivals on arrival in the US, allowing them to avoid immigration queues upon arrival and pick up their bags and go.
