The boss of Dublin Airport says it'll likely be 2030 before it gets planning permission to exceed 40 million passengers annually.
The DAA submitted an application to Fingal County Council in December 2023 to expand the passenger cap, which currently stands at 32 million.
15 months on, the authority feels the process is continuously "getting slower".
Chief Executive Kenny Jacobs says he has no idea when any progress will be made.
In the meantime, the airport will welcome 20,000 fewer tourists for St Patrick’s Day celebrations this week as capacity constraints at the airport continue, he said.
In recent weeks Mr Jacobs has spoken to two major US airlines who “can’t get their head around the winter cap” that is currently in place.
Mr Jacob’s warning comes as Darragh O’Brien, the new transport minister, is to meet with attorney general Rossa Fanning in the coming days to find a “viable but sustainable” solution to removing the passenger cap.
