581. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Transport if his Department was warned, or a risk assessment was carried out, regarding potential job losses at Shannon Airport or other regional airports, due to the increase in the Dublin Airport Passenger Capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58494/26]

The Government recognises the strategic importance of Dublin Airport as our primary international gateway and the contribution it makes to our economy. The policy objective in the National Aviation Policy (NAP) of developing Dublin Airport as a secondary hub is complemented by the commitment in the Programme for Government to work with stakeholders to achieve the objective of lifting the passenger cap at Dublin Airport as soon as possible. The recently enacted Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Act 2026 empowers me to make an order to amend or revoke the passenger cap, subject to the outcome of the necessary environmental assessments.

It is vital that the passenger cap is addressed as soon as possible as implementation of the 32 m passenger cap would result in an immediate cut of 4 million passengers at Dublin Airport which would severely impact on existing international connectivity and employment.

No assessment was carried out in relation to the potential impact on Shannon Airport or any other regional airport due to my actions to address the passenger cap at Dublin Airport. I am pleased to advise you that passenger numbers at our regional airports are on a strong growth trajectory in recent years. Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport were over 36 million in 2025. This represented a 5% increase over 2024 passenger numbers. Regional airports grew at a faster rate than Dublin Airport in 2025. The table below shows the increase in passenger numbers at regional airports from 2024 to 2025.

It is also worth noting that Shannon Airport welcomed 1.17 million passengers in the first half of 2026, which is a 12% increase on the same period last year. Shannon Airport also recorded its busiest day in 17 years on Sunday 28th June, when 11,400 passengers travelled through the airport, which was 22% more than the busiest day in 2025.

This clearly demonstrates that growth at Dublin Airport does not have to result in a negative impact on our regional airports.

I would also like to highlight the new Regional Airports Programme which I published earlier this year. This Programme will ensure that Ireland’s smallest eligible regional airports receive support for measures aimed at maintaining compliance with the European Union’s safety and security related obligations. The new Programme will also support projects with a sustainability focus, encouraging airports to meet their carbon emission reduction targets.

For the first time, I ensured the scope of the Programme has been broadened to include airports with up to three million annual passengers. Shannon Airport is now eligible for targeted capital supports under the Programme. It is Ireland’s second largest long-haul airport and is of strategic importance for the State. Its inclusion will support it in accelerating its capital investment programme as it grows towards three million passengers.

This new Programme will support connectivity and balanced regional development, while seeking to maximise the use of existing capacity across our regional airports. This targeted support is an indication of the importance Government attaches to regional airports.

Finally, it is my intention to publish an issues paper for public consultation before the end of the year in relation to the development of a new National Aviation Policy. The revised NAP will update existing policy in response to developments in the aviation sector since 2015 and will include a focus on maximising use of our regional airports, in line with commitments made in the Programme for Government.