Dublin Airport operator, daa, says it does not intend to appeal a decision by the competition regulator which blocked its plans to buy a disused 6,200 space car park near the airport.
Daa said it had taken the decision following "careful review" of the ruling by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and in the interests of getting the facility back on the market so that it might become available for passengers this summer.
"There is an urgent need for more parking spaces at Dublin Airport and daa now calls on the owners of the QuickPark site and any other potential bidders to act speedily to get the facility back open for consumers and to alleviate the significant strain that's on Dublin Airport's car parks - all of which are fully sold out this Easter weekend," an airport spokesman said in a statement.
"Allowing daa to own and operate the former QuickPark facility would have been a good result for consumers, bringing increased choice and lower prices for the travelling public."
"While daa sees merit in an appeal of the CCPC decision, the expectation is that any appeals process would take years, and our passengers cannot wait that long for these spaces to come on the market."
The airport operator also said it encourages all parties to ensure the prompt delivery of the BusConnects and MetroLink projects.
It said these will provide "sustainable transport options for passengers looking to get to and from Ireland's national airport, taking tens of thousands of car journeys off the roads each year."
daa had hoped to be in a position to use the former QuickPark facility to increase supply ahead of the peak summer season.
But following a lengthy investigation, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said it had concerns that the deal would lead to higher prices and lower service quality for consumers.
The CCPC's investigation found the deal would substantially lessen competition in car parking serving Dublin Airport, as daa would own over 90% of the public car parking spaces if the purchase went ahead.
The CCPC said that because daa would not face competition for customers from any other large car park providers, this would have harmful consequences for consumers.
Earlier this week daa warned passengers using the airport this busy Easter weekend that its car parks were going to be full.
Over half a million passengers are expected to pass through the airport between yesterday and Monday, with 255,000 of those departing and 240,000 arriving.
Today is set to be the busiest day, when 104,000 passengers are forecast to travel.
