Eligible householders near Dublin Airport will be in line for a €20,000 grant to insulate their homes from nighttime air traffic noise.
The requirement for Dublin Airport operators, the DAA, to provide the grant to eligible households is one of a number of conditions attached to a Fingal County Council's planning decision to have operating restrictions on the new €320 million runway lifted.
A spokesman for DAA said “up to 300 homes could be eligible for the insulation grant”.
The new runway is due to open to commercial air traffic on Wednesday, August 24th.
In its decision, the council has amended two conditions attached to the 2007 planning permission for the runway.
Ahead of the runway becoming operational, DAA was seeking amendments to the runway's 2007 planning permission that will allow the 3.1km runway be used between 6am-12am and that a noise quota system would be used to dictate the number of nighttime flights at the airport.
The 2007 planning permission in place curtails flights between 11pm-7am.
The airport operator has now succeeded on both fronts with the council decision.
'Generous insulation grant scheme'
As part of its 245-page planner’s report into the case, the council concluded that the application “would further safeguard the role of Dublin Airport and the long-term amenity of residents in the area”.
A spokesman for the DAA said on Tuesday it welcomed the decision to amend and replace the two conditions.
The spokesperson said the council’s determination “provides for the limited extended use of the new runway at key late-evening and early-morning busy periods and includes a generous insulation grant scheme for eligible local residential properties”.
He added: “It also provides for the replacement of a nighttime aircraft movement cap with a more considered noise management quota system that encourages the use of quieter aircraft, an industry-standard approach for managing aircraft noise at large international airports around the world.
“This will be complemented by further noise mitigation and enhanced monitoring measures. The planning decision helps provide the operational flexibility required by Dublin Airport to enable the regrowth and development of international connectivity at Ireland’s main gateway.
“North Runway is a significant milestone for the Irish economy, the local economy, for Dublin Airport and its customers. It will enhance Ireland’s connectivity as a gateway between Europe and North America and will support the creation of 31,200 new Irish jobs and €2.2 billion in additional economic activity by 2043.”
The lifting of the restrictions will be put on hold, if, as expected, the decision is appealed to An Bord Pleanála by north Dublin residents. The application attracted scores of objections from stakeholders in the area.
In an objection against DAA's plan, Minister for Children and Dublin West TD Roderic O’Gorman said the noise levels that local residents will face would be “unacceptable”.
However, the airline industry threw its weight in support of the plans with 15 carriers, including Dublin Airport’s two main customers – Ryanair and Aer Lingus – offering their support.
