Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport

Video: 14th April 2026

The Irish Hotels Federation recently appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport to discuss the impact of the passenger cap at Dublin Airport and to voice our strong support for the Government’s legislative approach to resolve this issue.

IHF Chief Executive Paul Gallagher took the opportunity to highlight the damage already caused to tourism in terms of increased uncertainty, additional costs and barriers to further growth. He urged the Joint Committee to expedite the pre-legislative scrutiny process to ensure the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026 is enacted without undue delay.

A video recording of our opening statement, including transcript, are available below.

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Opening Statement, IHF Chief Executive Paul Gallagher

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport
14th April 2026

Chair, Committee Members, thank you for the invitation to discuss this important Bill.

The Irish Hotels Federation strongly supports the Government’s legislative approach to addressing the Dublin Airport passenger cap and its recognition of the airport as a ‘national strategic asset’.

This Bill is a vital step in securing the future of Ireland’s tourism industry.

With 70% of our tourism economy relying on international visitors, the 32-million passenger cap is a strategic bottleneck. This restriction, which was conceived in 2007 to address local traffic concerns, no longer reflects modern Ireland.

The cap threatens Ireland’s national connectivity, growth and economic stability. It is out of step with the Government’s National Tourism Policy, which targets ambitious increases in overseas tourism into Ireland by 2030.

We cannot achieve these growth targets without the ability to increase passenger numbers into Dublin.

Furthermore, international tour operators and conference organisers are already planning as far ahead as 2029. Without legislative certainty now, Ireland risks being sidelined in favour of more accessible European destinations.

Without this intervention, the cap will continue to damage tourism development.

• It will restrict market diversification: The new national tourism plan emphasises growth from diverse markets. However, the cap has already led to a reduction in transatlantic services and hindered potential direct connections to fast-growing emerging destinations.
• It will drive up costs: Artificial scarcity of flight slots leads to higher airfares, undermining Ireland’s competitiveness as a destination for international travellers.
• It will create further uncertainty for investment: Ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding the cap has discouraged airlines from launching new routes. Conversely, the temporary pause of the cap during legal reviews unlocked 12% more seats island-wide for spring 2026.

Each day of delay now weakens Ireland's standing, allowing other European destinations capture growth that Ireland would otherwise have secured.

This is not just an issue for the Capital. Dublin Airport is the vital hub for regional distribution; when capacity is constrained at Dublin, the impact is felt by tourism businesses from Donegal to Kerry.

We therefore welcome the proposed mechanism under consideration, which would empower the Minister for Transport to amend or revoke capacity limits following appropriate assessments.

We urge the Joint Committee to expedite the pre-legislative scrutiny process to ensure the Bill is enacted without undue delay.

Failure to act decisively would be an own goal for our tourism industry and wider Irish economy, leaving our primary gateway constrained while our international competitors continue to grow.

Thank you.

Irish Hotels Federation

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