The Dublin Airport Authority has informed construction firms in Europe it may yet proceed with a Pier D facility to cater for additional aircraft at the airport despite strong opposition from the previous Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan.
As the current Minister, Martin Cullen, considers what new facilities the airport needs, the airport authority has placed a notice in the official European journal alerting construction firms the project may yet be advanced.
A Dublin Airport Authority spokesman said it placed the notice so it could "activate a tender process as swiftly as possible should additional pier facilities be required as part of ongoing infrastructural development at Dublin Airport".
The previous Minister, Mr Brennan, told the authority not to proceed with a Pier D plan and this drew an angry response at the time from Aer Rianta chairman Mr Noel Hanlon, who said the airport was in danger of becoming a third world facility.
The latest notice says the facility, if built, would "consist of passenger gate lounges, retail outlets, catering and other back-up accommodation".
Previous Pier D plans were put together by international architects Skidmore Owings & Merrill and provided for 12 new stands for quick turnaround aircraft. Known as "contact stands", they do not require passengers to use buses or airbridges.
Planned for construction in an area known as the north apron, the pier would be linked to the main terminal building by a semi-circular elevated glazed walkway wrapping around the forecourt of the airport's original terminal. This walkway would contain segregated corridors for departing and arriving passengers.
The cost of the new pier has been put at € 50 million while the elevated walkway, suspended from stainless steel pylons, would cost an extra € 20 million, according to estimates.
Aviation sources believe that such a pier could be built in addition to a new terminal and that it could ultimately link the old and the new terminals.
The Minister for Transport, Mr Cullen, has yet to issue proposals on expanding capacity the airport, although sources suggest he is anxious to press ahead with a new terminal, most likely on the north apron site.
A site to the west of the airport, owned by the brothers Ulick and Desmond McEvaddy, is regarded as having less chance of getting Government approval at this stage.
Ryanair this week lambasted the Taoiseach over what it described as his inaction on the terminal issue. Chief executive Michael O'Leary said the Taoiseach was not proceeding because he was wary of offending the trade union Siptu.
He also warned that while he might be prepared to work with the Dublin Airport Authority on a terminal project, he would have nothing to do with any terminal involving Siptu as shareholders. The non co-operation of either Aer Lingus or Ryanair, the two biggest airlines serving the airport, would deal any new terminal a serious blow.
