A bill is being brought forward that could see Dublin Airport named after former Taoiseach Seán Lemass.
Fianna Fáil’s Malcolm Byrne has put forward the bill to name the airport after Mr Lemass, who served as Taoiseach from 1959 to 1966 and as Tánaiste on three separate occasions.
In a statement, Mr Byrne said that in doing so, they could recognise Mr Lemass’ ‘transformative contribution to modern Ireland.’
‘Dublin Airport is Ireland’s gateway to the world. It should bear the name of a leader who helped open that gateway in the first place,’ Mr Byrne said in his proposition. ‘Sean Lemass oversaw the development of our aviation sector, championed national infrastructure, and laid the foundations for the open, outward-looking Ireland we know today.’
Mr Lemass helped open Ireland to foreign trade during his time as Taoiseach, and lead the efforts for the country to join the European Economic Community (EEC), which paved the way for the European Union.
Calling for the airport to be named after Mr Lemass, Mr Byrne said that there are a number of other foreign leaders with airports named after them, including John F Kennedy Airport in New York and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Other airports named after famous people – but not necessarily foreign dignitaries – include John Lennon Airport in Liverpool, George Best International Airport in Belfast, and Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome.
‘Lemass stood for progress, ambition, and opportunity,’ Mr Byrne said. ‘Renaming the airport in his honour would reflect both our pride in his legacy and our confidence in Ireland’s future.’
