Locals living near Dublin Airport said they are "shocked" at the High Court's decision to grant a stay on enforcing a limit on night-time flights.

Last week, Fingal County Council ordered Dublin Airport to cut the number of night-time flights it is operating within six weeks.

Last night, The High Court suspended the implementation of this timeline until the case is heard.

The High Court also granted DAA leave to apply for a judicial review of the decision by Fingal County Council to enforce the limit.

The ban on nighttime flights would have resulted in flight delays, diversions, or even cancellations.

The case has been put back for mention until November 14th.

'Travesty'

Spokesperson for aircraft noise pollution at Ballyboughal Community Council, David Walton, said he believes the DAA is getting special treatment.

"Planning was put in place by An Bord Pleanála, the highest planning authority in the land," he said.

"For us to see that DAA could potentially get away with breaking the law, and breaking the planning regulations and then get some kind of special treatment – I think it would be a shocking travesty.

"They've put a very strong spin on this, the judge seems to have gone for it.

"I think Fingal have 48 hours to fight this. I hope that they put their full resources behind this because this is the integrity of the planning system which is at stake.

"I think people will be gutted if this decision goes ahead. "

Campaigning

When Dublin Airport applied for planning permission for its second runway, planning permission was granted on the grounds there would be an average of 65 flights per night.

The airport is currently exceeding that number, and North County Dublin locals said the noise pollution from the airport has become "unbearable" and "more constant" since the start of July.

Residents said the noise has affected their mental health, their children's sleep and the value of their homes.

Local councillor Joe Bonner said people have "lost faith in the authorities that are supposed to be protecting them".

"We've got situations where there's children playing in their gardens, coming in with their fingers in their ears crying in pain from the noise of the planes overhead," he said.

Cancellations

At the weekend, Ryanair Director of Marketing Dara Brady said the regulations could mean that a proportion of flights due to take off during the night would no longer be able to fly.

"Those aircraft can't be moved into later slots that are already full," he said.

"The issue here is very significant."

Mr Brady urged passengers to "sit tight" as court proceedings go underway.

"We would expect we'd have to notify passengers generally two weeks before the flight if there's going to be a change," he said.

"If there is a change and the flights are cancelled, they'll be given the option of a refund or moving the flights to another date."