Just hours after Cabinet green-lit legislation to deal with Dublin Airport’s capacity limit, Ryanair intensified pressure on the coalition, warning that an Advocate-General’s opinion issued 12 February 2026 could see the 32-million cap reinstated unless the Oireachtas acts swiftly.
The non-binding opinion—likely to be followed by the European Court of Justice in mid-2026—states that even “outdated” passenger caps included in planning permissions may remain enforceable until formally removed. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary seized on the ruling, calling the cap "illegal, anti-consumer and anti-tourism" and demanding that Taoiseach Micheál Martin pass the Dublin Airport Passenger Capacity Bill before his annual St Patrick’s Day visit to Washington.
Airlines for America, whose members include Delta and United, echoed Ryanair’s concerns, noting that failing to act could force them to cut slots at one of Europe’s fastest-growing trans-Atlantic gateways. Consultants Oxera estimate that rolling back to 32 million passengers would shave €1.4 billion off Irish GDP and threaten 17,000 jobs across aviation, logistics and hospitality.
![Ryanair urges Government to scrap Dublin cap before St Patrick’s Day after ECJ opinion]()
As travellers and businesses weigh the implications of potential flight reductions, having the right travel documentation in place becomes even more critical. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) streamlines the process of obtaining Irish tourist, business and transit visas, offering real-time status updates and expert support—so passengers can react quickly if schedules change or capacity constraints bite.
Corporate travel buyers watching capacity yo-yo in recent seasons say advance notice is critical. “We locked in 2026 meeting space in Dublin on the assumption of additional US frequencies,” one Fortune 500 travel manager told Global Mobility News. "If the cap snaps back, fare volatility will be brutal."
Government sources insisted the Bill will pass this term, but opposition TDs warned that protracted committee stages could push enactment to late summer. Ryanair’s ultimatum raises the political stakes, positioning air connectivity—and by extension Ireland’s attractiveness to mobile talent—as a headline issue in the run-up to next year’s general election.
The non-binding opinion—likely to be followed by the European Court of Justice in mid-2026—states that even “outdated” passenger caps included in planning permissions may remain enforceable until formally removed. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary seized on the ruling, calling the cap "illegal, anti-consumer and anti-tourism" and demanding that Taoiseach Micheál Martin pass the Dublin Airport Passenger Capacity Bill before his annual St Patrick’s Day visit to Washington.
Airlines for America, whose members include Delta and United, echoed Ryanair’s concerns, noting that failing to act could force them to cut slots at one of Europe’s fastest-growing trans-Atlantic gateways. Consultants Oxera estimate that rolling back to 32 million passengers would shave €1.4 billion off Irish GDP and threaten 17,000 jobs across aviation, logistics and hospitality.
As travellers and businesses weigh the implications of potential flight reductions, having the right travel documentation in place becomes even more critical. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) streamlines the process of obtaining Irish tourist, business and transit visas, offering real-time status updates and expert support—so passengers can react quickly if schedules change or capacity constraints bite.
Corporate travel buyers watching capacity yo-yo in recent seasons say advance notice is critical. “We locked in 2026 meeting space in Dublin on the assumption of additional US frequencies,” one Fortune 500 travel manager told Global Mobility News. "If the cap snaps back, fare volatility will be brutal."
Government sources insisted the Bill will pass this term, but opposition TDs warned that protracted committee stages could push enactment to late summer. Ryanair’s ultimatum raises the political stakes, positioning air connectivity—and by extension Ireland’s attractiveness to mobile talent—as a headline issue in the run-up to next year’s general election.
