Planners could rule shortly on night flights at Dublin Airport, ending almost a year of speculation over a crunch issue for airlines there.
State planning board An Coimisiún Pleanála last September issued a draft ruling limiting night-time flights to 13,000 a year, fewer than 36 a night.
That figure was almost two thirds less than the 36,000 night-time flights at Dublin Airport in 2023, sparking warnings from airlines about the impact on their operations.
Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Transport, confirmed that a final ruling from the commission was “imminent”, a spokesman for the department has said.
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He said Mr O’Brien “looks forward to the clarity that will bring”.
Several industry sources also confirmed that they understood the planning board was due to rule on the issue shortly, possibly this week.
None of the sources would comment on what the ruling was likely to say, but said they hoped it would address “significant contradictions” in September’s draft finding.
Last September planners ruled in favour of a more flexible noise abatement and quota system over a hard limit on night-time flights.
But their draft finding, on an appeal by local groups against a Fingal County Council decision easing night-flight restrictions dating to 2007, also imposed the new lower annual limit on night flights.
Airlines and airport operator, State company, DAA, support the noise abatement and quota approach.
Still, the airport company and carriers highlighted contradictions in the ruling, specifically the 13,000 a year limit on night flights, which they warned could hinder airport operations beyond 11pm to 6am hours to which it applied.
A DAA spokesman warned at the time that it would “reduce the night-time flights by over 60 per cent, and have significant implications for passengers and airlines as well as freight operations”.
Airlines subsequently warned that this would damage their businesses at Dublin Airport.
Lynne Embleton, chief executive of Aer Lingus, argued that the night flight limit was potentially more harmful than the planning condition capping Dublin Airport passenger numbers at 32 million a year.
The contradictions prompted some industry figures to suggest that the planning board had made a mistake, but it refused to comment further as it had invited public submissions on the draft ruling.
Local groups who maintain that growing noise levels are affecting residents’ health hailed the finding as a victory.
Reports that a ruling on night-time flights is due come as pressure continues to mount on the Government to axe the 32 million a year passenger limit.
Industry group Airlines for America said now was the time to act on the passenger cap.
Mr O’Brien has sought advice from the Attorney General on legislation to resolve the row over the limit, imposed 18 years ago by planners.
