On the latest instalment of Inside Business, our host, Ciarán Hancock, is accompanied by Ulick McEvaddy, an eminent aviation entrepreneur. Ulick, in collaboration with his sibling, Des, founded a thriving aviation business named Omega over the past four decades.
The brothers also possess a considerable amount of land adjacent to Dublin Airport. This land, totalling to 260 acres, also includes the holdings of two other owners and was listed for sale midway through the previous year.
Without finding any buyers, they later presented a blueprint to Fingal County Council for constructing a third passenger terminal at Dublin Airport, featuring it as part of a massive €2.2 billion project.
Ulick acutely suggests that his proposition, with the same financial investment as DAA’s proposed extension plan, would enable the airport to accommodate an additional 20 million passengers. Besides, it would address the road accessibility issues and lay the groundwork for Dublin to emerge as a centre for sustainable aviation fuel.
A key obstacle, however, remains that they lack direct access to the runway, which was a sticking point for potential land buyers.
During our show, you’ll listen to Ulick tackling this barrier head-on and defending his idea against the common misconception of it being merely an unrealistic plan.
John Casey produced this episode, with JJ Vernon managing the sound.