Speaking before the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Galway Chamber warned that the draft Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026—designed to lift the current 32-million-passenger cap—could siphon traffic and investment away from Shannon, Cork and Knock airports and exacerbate housing and infrastructure pressures in the capital.(advertiser.ie)
The Bill would let the Minister for Transport override existing planning conditions once an environmental assessment is complete, paving the way for throughput of up to 55–60 million passengers annually. Business leaders in the west argue this contradicts stated Government policy on balanced regional development and threatens national resilience by concentrating connectivity in a single hub.
![Galway Chamber Says Dublin Airport Capacity Bill Risks ‘Entrenching Regional Imbalance’]()
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From a global-mobility angle the stakes are high: Dublin Airport handles over 80 % of Ireland’s international traffic and serves as the primary gateway for assignees and visiting executives. A capacity surge without parallel investment in regional routes could make it harder for multinational plants in Galway, Limerick or Mayo to attract talent unwilling to relocate far from the capital’s flight network.
Chamber CEO Karen Ronan urged Government to first adopt a national aviation strategy that incentivises carriers to route some long-haul and transatlantic services through regional airports, mirroring multi-hub models in Germany or Spain. Mobility teams placing staff outside Dublin may wish to lobby airlines and IDA Ireland for improved regional connectivity while monitoring the Bill’s progress through committee stage.
The Bill would let the Minister for Transport override existing planning conditions once an environmental assessment is complete, paving the way for throughput of up to 55–60 million passengers annually. Business leaders in the west argue this contradicts stated Government policy on balanced regional development and threatens national resilience by concentrating connectivity in a single hub.
For organisations and travellers figuring out the paperwork side of international mobility as these aviation debates unfold, VisaHQ offers a quick way to check requirements and secure visas for Ireland and scores of other destinations. Its digital platform streamlines applications for employees, executives and visitors alike—details are available at https://www.visahq.com/ireland/
From a global-mobility angle the stakes are high: Dublin Airport handles over 80 % of Ireland’s international traffic and serves as the primary gateway for assignees and visiting executives. A capacity surge without parallel investment in regional routes could make it harder for multinational plants in Galway, Limerick or Mayo to attract talent unwilling to relocate far from the capital’s flight network.
Chamber CEO Karen Ronan urged Government to first adopt a national aviation strategy that incentivises carriers to route some long-haul and transatlantic services through regional airports, mirroring multi-hub models in Germany or Spain. Mobility teams placing staff outside Dublin may wish to lobby airlines and IDA Ireland for improved regional connectivity while monitoring the Bill’s progress through committee stage.
