Legislation to remove the passenger cap at Dublin airport will be discussed at this morning's cabinet meeting.

Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien will seek approval from ministers to proceed with drafting the Dublin Airport Passenger Capacity Bill.

The bill, based on the general scheme already drawn up, will empower the minister to make an order to revoke or amend the existing 32 million passenger cap and to preclude any future passenger cap being introduced.

The cap was first introduced as a condition of planning when Terminal 2 was granted planning permission in 2007.

That year 23m passengers used the airport.

Since then, passenger numbers have grown strongly and already exceed the 32 million cap.

The cap is currently not being implemented as the High Court has referred legal challenges to it taken by a number of airlines, to the European Courts.

Removing the passenger cap is one of the commitments contained in the Programme for Government agreed between coalition members.

The minister expects the legislation ending the passenger cap to be enacted this year.

The legislation goes ahead even though the daa’s own Infrastructure Application which is with planning authorities in Fingal Co Council, suggests a passenger cap of 40 million.

However the application is also for new aircraft stands, expanded airport aprons, improved airport access and car parking and other structural changes so there is no plan to withdraw it at this point.

Plans to bolster Defences Forces

Cabinet will also hear an update on the implementation on the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces, which aim to modernise and re-equip the army, the naval service and the air corps.

Minister for Defence Helen McEntee will also tell colleagues of a new strategic plan that sets out priority actions to boost recruitment and retention, improve equipment and working environments, revitalise the reserve defence force and progress legislative reform.

Meanwhile, a plan to extend the Living City Initiative to new towns around the country will also be outlined by the Minister for Finance Simon Harris.

The initiative allows property owners claim tax relief on the cost of refurbishing or converting residential or commercial buildings and bring them into use for residents.

It currently only applies to Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford but will now also include Athlone, Sligo Letterkenny, Drogheda and Dundalk.

The minister is also extending the scheme out to 2030 to help revitalise urban areas by tacking dereliction and vacancy.

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’ Donovan will outline to colleagues details of the new Basic Income for the Arts scheme.

The scheme provides some artists with a weekly payment of €325 euro. It was first rolled out in 2022 when 8,000 people applied.

2,000 artists were randomly selected to receive the payments.

Minister for Justice Jim O’ Callaghan will also seek Government approval for An Garda Síochána to enter an agreement on co-operation and information exchange with Colombian National Police.

There is already a garda liaison officer based in the Irish Embassy in Colombia who liases with law enforcement there as part of the ongoing effort to target transnational crime.

The minister will tell colleagues Ireland is strongly reliant on international co-operation to successfully combat international crime and terrorism and a formal agreement with the Colombian police will be beneficial to this work.

Chambers to bring infrastructure plan

The Government is planning to speed up the approval process for major transport, energy and water projects by 20 weeks.

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers will tell his Cabinet colleagues today that the investments will no longer require an approval by external consultants in the early stages of development.

Instead, they will undergo an assessment by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

The change is designed to speed-up the delivery of large investments valued at between €200m and €500m.

Later in the approval process, major projects will no longer need ministerial approval and can instead go ahead following the consent of the relevant accounting officer within a Government department.

The changes are the latest in a series of steps intended to speed-up the delivery of infrastructure projects.

The Coalition has commenced a review of legal fees charged for environmental cases.

It has also expanded the National Development Finance Agency to support faster delivery of capital projects.