Plans to build a 30,000 square metre Ikea store in Ballymun - the biggest retail outlet of its kind in the state - have moved a step further.
RTÉ News has learnt that Fingal County Council has granted the Swedish furniture giant planning permission for the store and more than 1,500 parking spaces.
But the local authority has set down 32 conditions for the development, 14 of which relate to transport issues and fears that the store could cause congestion in the area and on the nearby M50.
Among the main conditions that must be met are the upgrade of the Ballymun junction of the M50 or alternative measures such as slip-roads to ensure the freeflow of traffic .A shuttle bus service between the store and Ballymun town must also be provided every 20 minutes.
A senior manger must also be appointed to look at increasing the use of public transport and a revised traffic plan must be submitted to the council in advance of the store's opening.
The authority also lays down strict conditions on opening hours. The store must not open before 9.40am on weekdays and must stay open until 10pm.
Ikea received news of the decision this morning, and a spokeswoman said the company viewed it as an important step in opening its first store in Ireland. But the date of the opening, which was planned for next year, will depend on appeals to An Bord Pleanála and on whether there will be an oral hearing.
