Let's hope the passenger numbers DO rise, and I agree, they probably will.
But to seriously compete with road traffic, car or bus, something very major has to be done, and the question arises as to whether there is the political will, north or south, to achieve that.
Certainly, while the UK has a Conservative government, don't expect too many more financial crumbs to be thrown to Stormont for public transport.
Mind you, should such huge infrastructural work ever take place, it could be done in conjunction with a rail branch into Dublin airport.