Aviation policy overhaul must happen to give regional airports a fair go – Murphy

An over-concentration of flights being routed through Dublin Airport gives major cause for concern for the viability of Ireland’s regional airports, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Chairperson of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Deputy Michael Murphy highlighted that 84% of all air traffic is routed through Dublin Airport, with the five regional airports collectively accounting for just 16%. He was speaking after this morning’s meeting of the committee with Irish Aviation Authority.

Deputy Murphy said: “This level of centralisation makes Ireland one of the most aviation-concentrated countries in Europe. Such over-reliance on a single dominant hub is not just a logistical vulnerability, it is a failure of national aviation policy.

“We urgently need a new National Aviation Policy that proactively supports balanced regional development and addresses long-standing disparities in access and connectivity.

“One of my key priorities as Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport is that the upcoming new Aviation Policy must embed the spatial planning objectives of Project Ireland 2040. We cannot talk about regional development while funnelling most of our aviation traffic through one airport.

“Targeted state supports for strategic regional airports and route development are clearly required to ensure we have proper regional connectivity for economic resilience, tourism, and attracting inward investment.

“We must ensure that the regulatory framework is equipped to intervene when excessive dominance by a single hub threatens our national objective of balanced regional growth.”

Deputy Michael Murphy added that he will continue to advocate strongly for these reforms as the Government prepares the next iteration of Ireland’s National Aviation Policy in the coming months.