Ryanair issued a written statement calling on Ireland’s “useless Transport Minister” Eamon Ryan to resign, after a number of Green TDs including Junior Ministers in his own party and MEP’s, lodged objections to raising the 32m passengers cap at Dublin airport.
Eamon Ryan acknowledged that Ireland is an island and he needed to commute to work by air himself when speaking at the Airline Growth Frontiers Conference in Dublin this week.
Ryanair CEO Michael O”Leary said: “unless this idiotic passenger cap is lifted, then all growth and new flights will bypass Dublin, and instead go to London, Manchester, and Glasgow. Ireland’s tourism industry depends on modest growth for its survival.”
As an island on the periphery of Europe, Ireland is critically dependent on growing low-cost air access for its economic development, particularly when this growth takes place on new Ryanair aircraft, which carry 4% more passengers but burn 16% less fuel, and are 40% quieter.
As Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan’s position is untenable when he allows his Green Party TD’s and MEP’s and Junior Ministers to block growth at Dublin Airport. Why is a Green TD for Limerick objecting to a Dublin Airport growth plan? Why is frequent flyer and Green MEP Ciaran Cuffe objecting to growth at Dublin Airport? What is the point of a Green Transport Minister who allows his own Ministers, TD’s and MEP’s to block growth and low fares at Dublin Airport when he has failed to tackle any aviation issues over the last 4 years;
- He was asleep during the security queues crisis in Summer 2022.
- He was asleep when drones closed Dublin Airport 6 times in Spring 2023.
- He is asleep now while growth at Dublin Airport is capped despite the recent opening of a 2nd runway in 2023, which increases Dublin Airport’s capacity to 50m passengers.
He has failed to tackle any air transport issues over the last four years. He has failed for four years to develop any aviation policy for Ireland, and he has now failed to take action while a number of his own Green TD’s (including Junior Minister, Joe O’Brien) and MEP’s, launch objections to a modest increase in the artificial traffic cap at Dublin Airport. As an island on the periphery of Europe, Ireland and Irish tourism need growth in low-cost air access, particularly when this growth is being delivered on new and more efficient aircraft, which carry more passengers but burn less fuel and reduce noise emissions as well.
