Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport continue to rise, January's figures were 9% higher than last year at almost 1.9 million.

The total number traveling to and from continental Europe increased by 7% to just under 873,000 passengers.

Traffic to the UK grew by 8% to more than 741,000.

The volume of people coming to and from North America increased by 28% compared to last year - 165,000 passengers took transatlantic flights to and from Dublin in January.

January's growth carries over the momentum built-up during Dublin Airport's record-breaking 2016 which saw a total of just under 28 million passengers pass through Ireland's largest airport.

The DAA is currently developing a new runway.

Dublin Airport is due to invest €320m in its new runway - which will increase the airport's capacity to handle growing passenger numbers.

Transport Minister Shane Ross has commissioned a report studying traffic at the airport - which will include analysis concerning the possible construction of a third terminal in the future.

Commenting on the 2016 figures, Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison said, "Over the past two years, passenger traffic at Dublin Airport has increased by 29%, which is equivalent to an extra 6.2 million passengers.

"Those extra passengers have created an estimated 5,200 additional jobs on the Dublin Airport campus over the past two years."