Ryanair yesterday unveiled its plans for a second terminal at Dublin airport. The airline claims its plan will nearly double the capacity at the airport at no extra cost to the taxpayer.
The new facility, called T2, will cost €114 million to develop and would be able to handle 10 million passengers per year.
It also includes two multi-storey short-term car parks and two hotels, which Ryanair claims will bring competition and lower accommodation prices.
It would be operational by 2004 and is one of 13 submissions made to the Government this week on the mooted new terminal.
T2 would contain 36 stands for planes. The two car parks would provide spaces for 10,000 cars and prices would be €10 per day, rather than the €20 per day at present, saving motorists €100 million over a five-year period, according to Ryanair.
It is proposed that T2 would become the new focal point at the airport.
Ryanair say more than 10 international airport operators have reviewed its plan and all have confirmed they would be willing to build and operate the facility and make it available to all airlines as a low-cost, quick-turnaround facility.
The airline also wants the Government to allow the McEvaddy brothers, Ulick and Des, to develop a third competing terminal development on the Huntstown lands at the airport. It also wants a fourth terminal to be constructed at some stage.
Ryanair chief executive Mr Michael O'Leary said the airline's proposals would bring competition to the airport, which would bring costs down and, ultimately, make it cheaper for passengers to access Ireland.
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