I misinterpreted the OP, I thought the question was about the new self service drop-off downstairs. If you're flying to anywhere out of area 14 (?) downstairs, you check in on the machine, then take your boarding pass to the scales and print off a luggage label. Once you've attached the label to the bag, you press the button and it trundles off, to reappear in the destination airport (hopefully). There are loads of scales, so no delays except for head-scratchers.
It's a good system, a logical extension of the self service check-in. I was always puzzled at the fact that I could check in in minutes on the machine, then had to queue with manual checkers-in to drop off the bag.
It takes Aerlingus and Aer rianta a long time to do things, but sometimes they get it right. With the exception of a security flaw in this system, this will be good when they have it sorted.