A bill to officially rename Dublin Airport after former taoiseach Seán Lemass has been moved to a second stage.
Fianna Fáil TD Malcom Byrne put forward the bill and said it is "not simply a question of changing a sign".
"It's about recognising a leader whose vision transformed Ireland and whose polices opened the gateway through which millions now pass," he said.
Mr Byrne noted that the airport's social media accounts recently mooted the idea of naming the airport after Irish footballer and hat-trick hero Troy Parrott.
He said this was an "interesting proposition" after Mr Parrott's "inspirational performance".
However, Mr Byrne suggested that "naming the metro line out to the airport after him" would be more appropriate.
He said: "They both have been involved in long delays and just as hope was fading, we had delivery right at the end, or so we hope."
Mr Byrne said Lemass was the "architect of modern Ireland, having fought in the Easter Rising and helping in the building of our fledgeling State".
"Lemass saw aviation as a lifeline for Ireland, a bridge to a wider world," said Mr Byrne.
He said Dublin Airport "owes much to his policies and foresight".
Lemass welcomed US president John F Kennedy to Dublin Airport in 1963.
Mr Byrne said it was a moment that "symbolised Ireland's new confidence on the global stage".
He said he was conscious "that there are bigger issues that need to be addressed by the Dublin Airport Authority".
"But this is a small and positive step," he added.
Mr Byrne said it is "quite common" for airports to "bear the names of leaders who shaped their nations".
"Renaming Dublin Airport after Seán Lemass would be a fitting tribute to a man who stood for progress, ambition and opportunity," he added.
He said renaming the airport 'Seán Lemass Dublin International Airport ' was about "inspiring the next generation".
A broader debate on the bill and its intention is due to take place.
