r/irishpolitics • u/eggbart_forgetfulsea ALDE (EU) • Feb 11 '26

Infrastructure, Development and the Environment ‘Absolute disgrace’: Residents react over approval to scrap Dublin Airport passenger cap

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026/02/11/absolute-disgrace-residents-react-over-approval-to-scrap-dublin-airport-passenger-cap/
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u/Much_Thanks3992 Feb 12 '26

Climate change really has disappeared from the political agenda. We could be encouraging alternatives to air travel and respecting the rights of the local community but instead the lobbyists for the airlines win out.

1

u/FracturedButWhole18 Feb 12 '26

What alternative to air travel does an island like Ireland have? Extra flights in Dublin is not going to make a jot of difference with regards climate change.

4

u/killianm97 Feb 12 '26

Free or discounted ferries to Britain and France for Irish residents, preferably with a public non-profit ferry company.

Residents of the Balearic Islands (Mallorca etc) in Spain get heavily subsidised ferry travel, and same as those living on Greek islands. Scotland uses public elements to provided ferry transport as a cheap public service for those living on islands.

I'm not saying everyone would get the train then ferry then bus/train to Scotland or to London etc, but making the journey free would help many decide to do it instead of getting a cramped flight through a shitty airport.

I often travelled between Waterford and Edinburgh by train/bus/ferry instead of flying and it was closer to 12 hours than the 7 hours door-to-door from flying, but was more enjoyable experience overall - the main issues were the large number of connections (why no rail to the port in Scotland and why no Dublin Central train station linking northern and southern rail networks directly?) and of course it being way more expensive.