DAA won’t appeal after regulator blocks purchase of extra car parking spaces by Dublin Airport operator

The operator of Dublin Airport has said it will not appeal the competition regulator's decision to block its purchase of the former QuickPark car park in Santry.

DAA said it made the decision following careful review of the decision and in the interests of the facility's 6,200 spaces being made available for passengers in time for summer.

Car parking at the airport is frequently fully booked out during busy periods.

DAA, headed by chief executive Kenny Jacobs, had proposed to buy the car park which is located on the Swords Road in Santry from businessman and developer Gerry Gannon so that parking could be provided for passengers during the airport’s busy periods.

The QuickPark-branded car park had operated on the site but closed in September 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic leaving a gap in the market once travel resumed.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) had blocked the sale of the car park near Dublin Airport to DAA due to concerns it would lead to higher prices and lower service quality for consumers.

The CCPC investigation found the deal would “substantially lessen competition” in car parking serving the capital’s airport, as its authority would own more than 90pc of the public car parking spaces if the purchase went ahead.

CCPC said at the time it made its decision, however, that there was significant interest from other parties in buying the site for car parking for airport passengers and that it was likely to be bought and reopened in the near term.

The investigation, which took place after the CCPC received 18 submissions from third parties, 16 of which raised concerns about the purchase, found the purchase of the facility would result in DAA “essentially having a near monopoly.”

“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,” DAA said this morning in an update.

It added that this is to “alleviate the significant strain” that's on Dublin Airport's car parks “all of which are fully sold out this Easter weekend.”

“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,” DAA said.

“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.”

DAA also said it encourages all parties to ensure the prompt delivery of the BusConnects and MetroLink projects.

It said this “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.”

Reporting On:independent.ie