The operator of Dublin Airport says plans to deploy the Defence Forces to help with passenger delays are 'purely a contingency'.
Earlier it was revealed that soldiers will undergo training and sit certification tests to allow them to help with security duties as needed.
In a statement, Defence Minister Simon Coveney said Transport Minister Eamon Ryan had requested the Defence Forces assistance.
Graeme McQueen is media relations manager at the DAA. He told The Hard Shoulder they expect not to have to use them.
"We were asked to put forward a number of possible contingencies that would help us get through the very busy summer.
"About 50,000 passengers a day on a daily basis going out at the moment.
"This was one of the suggestions that we put forward - I would emphasise that it's purely there as a contingency.
"We don't expect to need it, but it is there if we do so over the coming weeks".
He says if they are used, they are unlikely to be based inside the terminals.
"They probably won't be in any passenger-facing roles.
"We've a number of entrance points around the parameter of the airport - we would bring in fuel trucks and things like that - so we would look to replace the security staff we have on those posts with maybe Army personnel.
"But again, that's only if we absolutely needed to, due to something like a big spike in COVID cases over the coming weeks".
Mr McQueen says the airport will have to have similar plans going forward.
"Probably our big learning from when we went down badly at the end of May was that we need to have contingency plans in place.
"So that if something does go untoward over the coming weeks, that we've got something that we can fall back on.
"If we do see a spike in COVID cases amongst the staff, we're like any other business coping with this at the moment.
"We've got those contingencies now in place, so we're confident that we can get everyone away this summer".
