State appoints Dublin airport authority

THE proposed break-up of Aer Rianta into three separate airports went a step further yesterday with the appointment of the board members for the Dublin Airport Authority.

Transport minister Seamus Brennan said the final text of the legislation required to break Aer Rianta into three separate authorities was near completion and would be brought before the Dáil soon.

As previously announced the Dublin Airport Authority will be headed by Gary McGann, the current chief executive of Jefferson Smurfit Group and former head of Aer Lingus.

He will be joined on the board by seven non-executive directors and four worker directors to be nominated by the unions, who are against the split.

Joining Mr McGann on the board will be Colin Barrington, the former chief executive of the aircraft leasing firm GPA. GPA, which was sold to General Electric, was the brainchild of Tony Ryan, the Ryanair founder.

Also being proposed is Michael Hodgkinson, who recently retired as chief executive of the British Airports Authority, the owners of Heathrow Airport.

The other proposed board members are: Renault Ireland boss Bill Cullen, banker Anthony Spollen, accountant Marie O'Connor, Special Olympics organiser Mary Davis and Desmond Cummins, who was a member of the Government's task force on small business.

The minister announced the move yesterday as union leaders were meeting with consultants to discuss the possible financial impact of the break-up. The unions have opposed the break-up of the company on the grounds that it could to lead to job losses.

The board of Shannon Airport was announced last year and will be headed by Atlantic Technology Corridor chief executive Patrick Shanahan.

The minister is expected to name the members of the Cork Airport Authority soon. Its chairman has already been named as Joe Gantly, the Apple Computer chief in Ireland.

Mr Brennan said in a statement yesterday: "The new board-designate of the Dublin Airport Authority brings together people of the highest caliber and combines considerable international and national aviation expertise with proven financial and business acumen."

No date has been set for the break-up and talks between unions and the Labour Relations Commission are ongoing.