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TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR and Transport Minister Shane Ross today turned the sod on the new runway at Dublin Airport.
The 3.1 kilometre runway will cost €320 million to build, and will drive some €2.2 billion of economic activity, according to DAA.
The project is fully funded by the airport authority, and no taxpayers’ money will be used to fund the build, which will take at least two years to complete.
The project will involve more than 306,000 sqm of runway, 6km of internal roads, two electricity sub stations 11km of CCTV cable and 2,100 new runway lights.
Speaking at the site today, Varadkar said Dublin Airport is the gateway to Ireland for the world, stating that 30 million passengers come through every year.
Ross said today was a great day for Ireland and for tourism, adding that it is anticipated the runway would be open by March 2021.
Local residents protest
People living near the airport held a protest as work began today, claiming that the government had ignored their concerns over the noise levels.
The residents criticised legislation which designates powers to Fingal County Council to act as the noise regulator, claiming there is a “conflict of interest” in doing so.
The legislation to establish the independent noise regulator was passed by the Dail on Wednesday.
The residents also had concerns about the value of their homes once the runway build is underway, and criticised the price that the DAA was offering to buy their homes.
DAA is offering to buy peoples’ homes for the set value, with a markup of 30%.
Sheelagh Morris, who lives in St Margaret’s near Dublin Airport, hit out DAA who intends to appeal to the new noise regulator to relax the rules, set out under the planning permission for the runway in 2007, that aircraft cannot fly between 6am and 7am.
“DAA are now going to have the night-time restrictions overturned which is going to have a massive impact on our homes,” said Morris.
Noise levels
“Our homes will be deemed worthless, we won’t be able to live here. The noise regulation Bill is supposed to protect us. We are going to be subjected to 80/90 decibels of noise in the daytime and the night-time if these conditions are removed.
DAA boss, Dalton Philips told reporters today that it is vital that planes be allowed to fly between 6am and 7am, stating:
“The country is up and awake at that time,” he said, pointing out that we are an hour behind continental Europe, where many people do business.
“No, it is not right that we are not allowed to fly between 6am and 7am,” added Dalton, stating that the M50 is buzzing at that time, and so should the airport.
The Taoiseach agreed with the DAA boss, stating that with any major projects such as the runway, a balance has to be struck between “local concerns and the needs of the country as a whole”.
He said it is not intended that there be a greater number of flights passing by overhead after midnight.
Flying between 6am and 7am
“But for an airport to function there do need to be flights between 6 and 7 in the morning – people need to get to places, they need get to meetings and aircraft need to get back to base,” he said.
The DAA boss added that 250 residents are impacted by the new runway, while in London, there are some 42,000 homes affected by the Heathrow runway.
“I represent Dublin West constituency and a large part of it is under the flight path and there has been a lot of engagement between the DAA and residents and between residents and politicians.
“We understand the concerns the residents have in relation to the value of their properties and to noise abatement, so there is a plan in place to purchase homes if people are willing to sell, if they want to relocate.
“For a lot of other homes the DAA will pay for insulation and pay for improvements to those homes so the impact on people is mitigated.”
He said the runway must be built for the greater good of the entire country.
However, local resident Morris said those that live nearby will not be ignored.
“We matter. We have been here for three generations,” she said.
Minister Ross said:
Measures have been taken to meet those concerns. The noise regulator is going to have a balanced approach and that means taking into account, not just the commercial demands, but also the difficulties and problems encountered by residents.
He added that it is “absolutely wrong” to say locals have been ignored, but said that he would meet with them again if necessary.
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The Airport has been there since 1940. Surely if you buy/build near it then you accept planes will be flying in and out??
@Joe Bloggs:
Correct joe and I’m sure the purchase price was lower than the equivalent property elsewhere.
@Joe Bloggs: Not many jet engines coming and going in 1940…
Your logic is like saying you knew there was a house next door to you when you purchased so what is your issue with it being doubled in size and blocking your light?
@Joe Bloggs: Unfortunately I’d say half these people are just looking for an easy pay out…
@A2 Poster: Of course they are. And as the man with the sign says…St Margarthes in the grand scheme of Ireland growing into the future…you have to consider the country over a few hunderd residents
@Fozz: Is the new runway blocking residents light? If the Airport are breaking building regulations then fair enough but everyone including the neighbour next door has the right to expand and grow on their own property as long as they follow the rules and do it within the law and current building regulations. If Tom my neighbour builds a bigger garage next door and now had two cars instead of one I can’t go protesting because by rule of thumb two cars make more noise than one. Saying all that the Airport should engage with residents and at least try and maintain a professional relationship.
@Joe Bloggs: I lived in that area for 10years and the noise levels of the planes up the 12am was a pain some airlines flew a lot lower than others shaking windows and lights, removing restrictions would be ridiculous especially for new families, standing outside was deafening most of the time.
@Karl Lee:
It’s an airport. Of course it’s noisy.
I don’t understand how residents can claim they were duped. They bought the houses likely at below market rate knowing that the airport was there and it was noisy.
@Karl Lee: Do want Ireland improve or Not it called progress
@Fozz: planes now are much much quieter even than 30 years ago. Compare current planes with ryanairs old 737 200 bangers, the ones with the long narrow engine pods on the wings. Nimbyism.
@Joe Bloggs: even heathrow has night time restrictions for noise reasons…. you obviously haven’t tried to sleep through a plane flying over your house… we should protect these residents
@Seán Troy: I was there from 2008 to 2018 and was going to buy the house I was living in with these no fly restrictions in place until I learned of this change I decided to move, not everyone has been there decades like what you see in the media. This is a massive change of life style or costing to insulate against noise if you bought with the past decade. Sleepless nights are going to be a big thing in this area now.
3 sods turning sods.
@Derek Poutch: Brilliant
@Derek Poutch: Leo looks beat after lifting the shovel.He’d need a stretcher if he dug it into the ground.
@Billy McNamara: well his metabolic age is 53. Next thing you know the politicians will be passing an amendment to claim their pension when they reach the metabolic age of 65.
@Derek Poutch: june 2019 pac finds out it cost 10000000 to turn 3 sods
@Billy McNamara: Mr Burns
Ireland is a landlocked country. 2 runways are badly needed. It’s a pity for the residents but noise living next to an airport is to be expected and shouldn’t come as a surprise.
@Wreck Tangle:
Ireland a landlocked country?
@Just Some Guy: yes we are up there with Switzerland, Andorra, Hungary and Bolivia
@Just Some Guy: Yes, we’re the Switzerland of the western european seaboard.
@Wreck Tangle: No objection to the second runway by the residents. The permission was granted so more flights can take place, but Conditions 3 & 5 were put in to restrict the number of night time flights as now more could be handled during the day with 2 runways. The DAA want unrestricted night flights, that were the problem lies.
@Wreck Tangle: you probably mean Laois thou as far as I remember it has no airport
@Just Some Guy: we are landlocked by sea and ocean….for goodness sake does nobody know anything any more
@Wreck Tangle: Ireland is an island.Give Google Maps a quick to broaden your mind.
@Paul: We start sentences with a capital letter. We end questions with a question mark. An ellipsis consists of three dots…
I see your point.
@Wreck Tangle: do you need one of the shovels to take your foot out of your mouth!! We are as landlocked as the moon is
@Dónal MacAonghusa: here was i thinking we were an island.
You sure it will cost 330 million, Leo you’re positive , check again just to be sure, mistakes do happen. !!!!
@conriel: its two for you one for me ,two for you one for me. Lets put it down to rising costs shall we. No one is keeping tabs.
@conriel: hardly a good contractor has been appointed that has a brilliant record of bringing in projects ahead of time and in budget in this country
@conriel: It’s not being built with taxpayer money. The DAA raised the funds and will be keeping a close eye as it’s their money.
Last night two very reasonable amendments to the Aircraft Noise Bill were refused by the government (aided by FF sitting on their hands once again). These amendments were cost neutral and only requested that the DAA be held to the standards set out by best international practice. (1) The World Health Org at the request of the EU carried out a six year study setting out recommended guidelines on Noise Pollution and it’s effects on Health (They identified it as the second most damaging pollution to health of citizens) All Residents Associations from Tyrrellstown to the coast requested that these up to date guidelines be incorporated into the Bill. This was refused. (2) The Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) be appointed as the Competent Authority to supervise Noise Pollution at Dublin Airport instead of Fingal County Council (FCC). The DAA are FCC’s largest single revenue contributor (8% of all income) and therefore cannot be viewed as “Independent” as required by EU Regulation. The CEO of FCC in charge of revenue generation will also be ultimately in charge of noise policing at the Airport which is a conflict of interests (have we learned nothing from the Banking Fiasco). FCC do not have the expertise to carry out this function and payscales won’t allow them to hire competent professionals to carry out this function effectively. The DAA want to turn Dublin Airport into a 24hr service station for planes. There is no Excise Duty, VAT or carbon tax on Jet fuel so the nation does not benefit from this business, only the DAA. The DAA business model (with the support of the government) is chasing business that no other European major airports want or would tolerate at the expense of it’s most vulnerable citizens (the elderly, those with ill-health and children are disproportionately affected by Night Time Aircraft Noise).
@Jim Byrne: Stop with such a well reasoned, logical and well expressed response. No place on the Journal for that.
@All Hail Bukowski: Unfortunately, no place for it in the Dail either based on last night performance.
@Jim Byrne: I agree with the conflict on interest but I’m puzzled by your implication that planes are going to drop in for fuel during the night. Also, what are these business practices that other Euro countries don’t want?
@Jim Byrne: Jet A1 is tax and duty free throughout the world and more or less the same price.
With some airlines commanding a bigger discount due to fleet size etc,The new RWY will be north of the existing RWY 10/28 ,So I don’t see there could be issues with the likes it affecting some housing estates as it would not be flying directly over them.
I do agree with you regarding FCC being the oversight for noise issues though.
@Dave Byrne: That’s true re jet fuel pricing worldwide, but my point was a middle of the night pitstop from middle east en route to the US is of no benefit to the exchequer but causes maximum disruption to the surrounding residents. The north runway flightpath will affect housing estates especially if the 15 degree divergence for parallel runways is applied, as shown as the preferred route in DAA literature. This would send it right over north Portmarnock, Robswall, and parts of Malahide. Take off noise will also affect parts of River Valley and parts of St Margarets currently unaffected.
@Jim Byrne: thank you for this information. It’s unfortunate that most on here will dismiss peoples concerns out of hand. It’s for this reason we have scandal after scandal in Ireland… people turning a blind eye to conflicts of interests and decisions being made based on profits for private organisations.
At least shane Ross’s tie wasn’t hanging out through his open fly in this photo!!!!
@BAAB: nothing else he has down there would be noticed
@D_Murph: Stop it willya, that’s where he keeps his brains!!
@BAAB: PROGRESS! SOMETHING THAT WILL ONLY AFFECT THE WORKING POOR! It’s outlandish and deafening if it happens in Dublin 4 however people are at fault for buying near an airport because they should have read into the future and known that the council was going to change the existing laws. Anyone who disagrees with my statement is simply wrong
Are they still building it shorter than is needed? Or did they solve that?
@eoin carroll: shorter and dearer
Thank God that, after years of unnecessary delay, the sod has finally been turned on arguably the most important project of economic infrastructure in Ireland today.
The ridiculous ban on night-time flying (which was ludicrously inserted into the original planning permission like a poisoned pill) must now be quickly overturned. And the lesson needs to be put out there that if one doesn’t want to be concerned about aircraft noise, then don’t buy a house beside an airport! It is absurd for a person to purchase a home beside the country’s most important airport (or any airport), and then to complain about the inevitable expansion of the airport.
@J. Reid:
“However, local resident Morris said those that live nearby will not be ignored.
“We matter. We have been here for three generations,” she said.”
Her family have been there for 3 generations, most likely before the airport was ever there. She’s worried her family can’t live there anymore because of the noise and she also can’t sell the house because nobody will want to buy it because of the noise, except for DAA. Ultimately, this is the DAA’s long term plan I feel as then they expand further.
@J. Reid: It doesn’t only affect people beside the airport, it affects people up to 7 miles either end of 2 runways. What should we do, not build on half of north county Dublin so the DAA can run planes through the night. Also Fingal has made no provision for the correct new noise corridor in it’s county plan and recently allowed a huge nursing home to be built smack bang between the existing flight path and the new runway flight path. 80 decibels in stereo. What a way to see out your golden years. Educate yourself, read the 2018 WHO Europe Noise Guideline and have a look at the real serious health effects from Night time aircraft noise.
@Gerard McDermott: Spot on. There was an exploratory meeting with the CIF last week looking at a plan for a third terminal and an access tunnel from the west of the airport,
@Jim Byrne: earplugs. Problem solved.
@J. Reid: Are you sure they don’t just want it done right? It wouldn’t surprise me if there were corners cut here to save a buck or two and putting it in a private company’s pocket
Why are they not happy. Did BAM get the contract?
I presume there is no Car Park under the Runway If there were the priv den doubles
Imagine buying a house and go tobann, an airport appears beside it !
@deise: Lukcy people, value soars
What about the government promise to reduce CO2 by 30% by 2030…Or face very large fines…This won’t help that…
@iComment:
It’ll be cheaper to pay any fines that are eventually issued (if any are issued at all, there’s no automatic system, has to be done through the ECJ) than pointlessly attempting to reduce our emissions if we truly want to have a society where we can house, educate and provide benefits and essential services and healthcare to both our own, and those who we intend welcoming from abroad.
@iComment: To be fair – the flights are still going to happen regardless of whether it’s Dublin airport or not. Surely from an environmental perspective the most efficient transatlantic flights (i.e. through Dublin) will be better for the World overall. If you want to pick a CO2 fight, a better target would be the lack of a rail link to the airport
80 decibels is what I am listening to now , coming from the road outside my house in the middle of the country! Are government going to give me 30% premium on my home?? Lol
Nothing like Leaving Dublin
@Adrianh_80: people are obsessed with Dublin.its hard not to be.
€320million x 10 plus brown envelopes say€50 million =€3.250 billion will probably be a more realistic total cost.
@Eugene Conroy: 800k was paid to 14 families to move their culture to make way for the runway
How about adding a few more carriages to the morning Dart, Mr Ross??
Gold plated handles on the shovels there lads.
Must give better handling..
Wow this house is cheap, so what are those yokes flying over head?
Will there be room for the A380?
@Kenneth Hayden: why would you want that; it’s days are numbered & Dublin Airport growing without it. Airbus announced today that A380 production will cease in 2021.
@El Sparko: That’s the joke
@Kenneth Hayden: Airbus just announced they are not building any more A380
@Kenneth Hayden: But yes, it will be long enough if needed.
@Kenneth Hayden: No anyway their going to stop production in 2021
Sure they turned the sod not once but twice on the new social housing in Dominick street and still it sits empty. Nothing this government does is truly done till people actually use it.
The issues for Residents are 1. If night time flying restrictions are lifted there will obviously be a lot of night time noise. Heathrow doesn’t even allow flying between certain hours. 2. If you want to move you are being offered only 130% of the value of your home and only if you are in specific areas heavily affected by the noise. Most people who live in bungalows or farms passed down through the generations won’t be able to buy near the equivalent elsewhere for that. And if you try to sell now privately in a noisey area what chance have you of getting the value of your home. Residents are just looking to be treated fairly. No one is anti runway or anti expansion. Fair compensation and consideration for locals are not big asks when the runway is going to generate millions in revenue.
@Cora Sutton Smith: You’re right… heathrow is restricted during night time hours. government selling out citizens for private company profits again
Sods turning sods!
Doubt the two lads holding the new shovels will ever dirty them
LEGO men
Did the D A A PRICE THE JOB OR THE GOVERNMENT WAIT AND SEE WILL IT COME IN UNDER BUDGET
@pat seery: It already went from €260m to €320m before a sod was turned. It’s now €320m plus one hours labour for Leo and Ross = €321m.
This is good news
This will once again increase carbon emissions and in a few years time another runway will be needed – same in UK and Poland etc – people need to fly much less – we are only 10 years away from another .5 jump in average temperatures which will be devastating https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/07/climate/ipcc-report-half-degree.html?smid=tw-share
@GO GREEN: Yeah let’s all stand perfectly still for a few years.
@A2 Poster: With the amount of hurricanes coming our way, there will not be many people standing still unless you live in a bunker, or you are a denier who of course are immune from the effects of global warming.
The residents won’t win, but they are absolutely right to voice their opinion. We sit back too much in this country!
Sodomy?
Sponsored by McDonald’s…
@Ding Ding Denny: And lo and behold, I get a McDonald’s pop up ad…. where’s my tin foil helmet????
Great lads altogether! This is the hightlight for these incompetent idiots. From now on it’ll be dodging questions about rising costs and trying to hide their gross incompetence in project management and wastage of taxpayers money.
Ireland is an island nation. To have a ban on night-time flying is the most stupid thing that I can imagine.
@J. Reid: You obviously lack imagination Sir. Try imaging 2 men in suits with hard hats trying to dig a hole. Then again both have been known to dig themselves into many a hole, especially Shane Ross. Maybe they can go and practice on the site of the new Childrens Hospital, I hear they have a massive hole they could use.
how will all these extra people get to and from the airport? Busses i suppose?
Turning the sod, and sod off to the residents!
I hope they have a fixed price contract for the construction, unlike many other big projects!
I can understand why they need it, but they don’t use the 2nd runway as it is, road infrastructure around airport is very bad, they need to send senior staff to either frankfurt or atlanta airports to see how they utilise runways, regards, Noel
@Noel O’Neill: If they send senior staff to Frankfurt they may come back with the “crazy’ idea of a ban on night flights.
May cause house value drop cos noise & pollution air
It would be nice to see a development plan fir the other airports happening in conjunction with this propaganda..
South East Airport crying out for runway enlargement.. Cork Airport crying out for flights.. Don’t know anything about the others.
@Colm Molloy: Waterford airport is a white elephant and should be closed. Cork is “crying out for flights” ? If there are sufficient passenger numbers airlines will fly in and out. Cork airport and it’s passengers need to do more to lobby for and support more flights.
@An bhearna: wrong for any airline wishing to establish a new route to Ireland can avail of grants/funding, for state airports 96% is allocated to Dublin & 4% to both cork and Shannon. Regional airports can get eu funding etc. So of course everything is Dublin 1st.
Did they lay that patch of lovely green grass just to turn the sod?
Do these lads realise how actually embarrassing they are??
Keep digging morons
Airports are great.
Get the government to build the runway, and watch the price triple.
have your say