Dubin Airport must be reclassified as a strategic national infrastructure in the national interest, its operator has said, writes Helen Bruce.

The Dublin Airport Authority made the call after criticism by a Fingal county councillor about its planning application to raise the passenger cap from 32 million to 36 million.

The council declared on Tuesday evening that the DAA’s application was invalid, due to being in breach of planning rules, and was “misleading”.

The DAA responded by saying the restriction, first imposed as a condition of planning permission for Terminal 2, was an issue of national importance that must be urgently resolved.

“DAA is calling on planners to take a pragmatic and proactive approach so Ireland doesn’t lose vital connectivity, jobs, tourism, and economic growth opportunities over the years ahead,” it said.

Kenny Jacobs, chief executive of the DAA, said: “DAA does not think it’s bigger than planning, but we do want the planning regime to be big enough and agile enough to deal with planning applications that are critical to national infrastructure and the economy, as Dublin Airport is.

“This is why we believe evaluating complex aviation matters should be decided at a national level and are calling on the new government to urgently reclassify Dublin Airport as strategic national infrastructure in the national interest.

“Planning for the most important transportation assets is too important to become a game of Snakes & Ladders where planners keep moving the goalposts.

“In the meantime, we will continue to engage with FCC to try to find a solution to this impasse.”

In its statement, Fingal County Council (FCC) said it is a matter of great concern that such a significant planning application was invalid.

“Pre-planning is available to assist applicants, but did not take place for this application,” it noted.

The DAA then accused the council of a “bizarre flip-flop”, saying the council had twice confirmed the validity of the application at an earlier stage.

Cllr Jimmy Guerin called on the DAA yesterday to produce proof of this, condemning it of “behaving like the Trump campaign” by making wild allegations that could not be substantiated.

“Suggestions that Fingal planners have flip-flopped… are serious allegations that I believe to be untrue,” he said.

“Senior management within the DAA seem incapable of submitting a basic application to address the important passenger cap issue.

“Instead, the DAA issue statements expressing shock at decisions and then misinform those affected by this issue, so as to cover up their incompetence and basic misunderstanding of the planning process.”

Cllr Guerin said he supported the increase in the cap, and the development of the airport, but the number of problems in the application “suggests the DAA do not have the personnel with the skillsets required to ensure planning applications are in line with both regulations and legislation”.

The DAA responded by showing the Irish Daily Mail a copy of an email sent to it by the council’s planning department on January 6.

An employee, whose name was redacted, stated: “I can confirm that [the] application… has been declared valid.”

Mr Jacobs said the DAA had it in writing from the council on December 23 that the application was valid.

He said the DAA had over 30 meetings with the council last year about planning matters.

“DAA’s leadership and planning team dedicate immense time, effort, expertise and resources to our planning applications and have a track record of successful applications like Terminal 2, the North Runway and the airport underpass,” he said.