As a group advocating for the rights of children, we are appalled to hear that Minister Darragh O’Brien is attempting to force through the removal of the passenger cap at Dublin airport. It is truly shocking that a minister tasked with tackling the climate crisis, and the avoidable harms it’s wreaking on our children’s future, is taking steps that would massively increase the pollution causing it. The recent International Court of Justice ruling made unequivocally clear that Ireland, like all high-polluting countries, simply has to do more to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and protect people, and especially children, from climate harms. This reported action would appear to fly in the face of that, and the State’s related human rights obligations.
We have been raising the climate harms and related human rights implications of State intervention to increase the passenger cap for months, with no meaningful response. It is hugely dismaying and concerning to learn of this retrogressive action by the Minister when the outlook for kids is so grave.
Our response is partially quoted in the media today: https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0914/1533419-dublin-airport/
Children's Rights Over Flights 
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