The Dublin Airport Authority has warned it will miss the deadline for having its new second passenger terminal in operation before the end of next year, unless Bord Pleanála announces its decision within the next couple of weeks.
Chairman Gary McGann said the DAA is all set to begin building as soon as the company receives a decision on its planning appeals for the second passenger terminal (T2).
'We need to have planning clarity by the end of June in order to begin preliminary construction activity by mid-July and deliver an operational facility before the end of 2009,' he said.
He also said that after recent consultation with the aviation regulator the DAA has greater confidence that the DAA would get adequate renumeration for its investment in the airport.
He said 70% of the DAA's first stage, €1.2bn investment programme at the airport is either under construction or at the planning stage with Pier D - an extension to the current terminal - to open on schedule this autumn.
Mr McGann was speaking at the publication of the DAA's results for last year which showed profits up 39% to €69.5m for the year ending December.
Profits for the year after exceptional items of €96.5m amounted to €166m.
The exceptional items were the after tax profits arising from the sale of the Great Southern Hotels Group of €125m, and the company's 3% shareholding in Hamburg (€3m) less the after tax cost of the restructuring plan at Shannon Airport which was €31.5m.
Combined passenger numbers at Dublin, Shannon and Cork Airports rose by 14% last year to 27.8m, the DAA said.
'The Group's net debt levels fell sharply by the end of last year to €136m due to the proceeds of the GSH sale. This borrowing position will soon change radically. As the Transforming Dublin Airport programme is rolled out, the Group's net debt is expected to rise to more than €1bn over the course of the next five years', the DAA said.
Aer Rianta International (ARI), the DAA's subsidiary company reported profit up 12% to €19.5m.
ARI recently sold its 24% stake in Birmingham airport for £420m in a deal that will give it a windfall of €300m in the next few months.
The DAA said that the agreement, which is subject to a number of conditions, is unlikely to be completed until towards the end of the year.
