Debate contribution: Belfast City Airport Master Plan
Debate contribution by Mr Philip McGuigan on .
- MLA
- Mr Philip McGuigan
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 11 May 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Belfast City Airport Master Plan
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5524232
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle.
I support the motion and our amendment. The potential that the Belfast City Airport master plan 2040 brings not only for Belfast but for communities across the North and, in fact, the island is absolutely huge, and we need to make sure that it is achieved. First, connectivity matters: air travel plays a vital role in supporting our economy, our tourism sector, our businesses and our communities. It connects families, supports inward investment and helps to ensure that people can travel easily for work, education and leisure. The master plan will allow greater travel opportunities for people across our island. The ambitions set out in the master plan are significant. The potential to accommodate 7 million passengers, double the workforce and contribute £1·7 billion to the economy by 2040 represents a major opportunity for job creation, investment and long-term economic growth. We know the importance of tourism to our local economy. Tourism supports thousands of jobs across hospitality, retail and arts and culture. Belfast continues to grow as an international destination, and strengthening our connectivity is key if we are serious about continuing that growth and attracting visitors from across Europe and further afield. Importantly, however, this cannot be viewed through the lens of Belfast alone. There is real potential here to strengthen connectivity across the island of Ireland. Better transport links between our towns, cities and airports can support regional balance, and economic development will make travel more accessible for workers, businesses and tourists alike. I particularly welcome the ambition to develop a direct rail connection to the airport. As others have said, that would be a first on the island, and it represents the type of long-term infrastructure planning that we need more of. Expanding rail connectivity is critical not only to improving accessibility but to supporting more sustainable travel choices into the future. While there are clear economic opportunities, we also need to recognise the concerns that have been raised by residents and environmental groups. We have a responsibility to engage openly and honestly with local communities about any future growth and expansion, and the residents who live around the airport must be part of that conversation. The Economy Minister has launched a consultation on aviation policy that looks at the impact of environmental issues and sustainable travel. That consultation is important because it gives us the opportunity to shape for the future a strategic approach to aviation that balances economic growth with environmental responsibility and community well-being. Sustainability has to be at the heart of future aviation planning. That means investment in greener technologies, better public transport, stronger rail infrastructure and supporting efforts to reduce emissions across the sector. Economic growth and environmental responsibility cannot be treated as separate issues; they have to go hand in hand. There is also a need for genuine collaboration across Departments, agencies and local government to ensure that infrastructure, tourism, transport and environmental planning are all aligned. If that is delivered as it could and should be, there will be a massive opportunity to grow our economy, support our hospitality sector and improve North/South and east-west connectivity, while ensuring that the environmental concerns that have been raised remain central to the development.
539 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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