Suspended port boss says plan under fire

THE attempted de-railing of the Limerick Docklands Initiative is the prime reason behind the current conflict at the Shannon Foynes Port Company, suspended company chief executive Brian Byrne alleged last night.

And the Attorney General has been brought into the controversy at the port company which led to the suspension of the chief executive last Thursday.

Brian Byrne was suspended after the board of the company received written allegations which had originally been verbally made against him.

However, a board member, appointed by the Minister for Transport, against whom similar allegations have been made has not been suspended and the Attorney General is understood to be advising the minister on the position of this board member.

The suspended chief executive claimed yesterday the action against him was aimed at de-railing a huge plan to develop Limerick docks which he supports.

Mr Byrne, who has been chief executive of the company for the past four years, said he was suspended in a late night phone call from the company chairman, Kieran McSweeney last Thursday.

The board in a statement last Friday said it suspended Mr Byrne to afford him “the opportunity to give his full and undivided attention to answering” allegations. Mr Byrne has issued a strong denial of the allegations made against him.

Mr Byrne in a letter circulated yesterday to the board and the Minister for Transport stated: “It is clear to me that the nature, origin and timing of this matter (the suspension) is being procured in order to de-rail the Limerick Docklands Initiative. This initiative has caused considerable debate at board level, and elsewhere throughout the community over the past months. While I have never deviated from the mandate given to me by the board, my wholehearted support for the initiative is already well documented.”

The Limerick Docklands Initiate involved a port development strategy agreed by the port company, Limerick City Council and Shannon Development.

The grand plan provides for a financial services centre, conference centre, hotel and other amenities in the greater docks area which covers 44 acres.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner yesterday, Mr Byrne recalled being told he was suspended while driving to Limerick from Dublin on Thursday night.

He said: “The phone rang and it was the chairman (Kieran McSweeney) and he said the allegations had been received in writing. I said to him I had not yet an opportunity to see them. At this point the allegations were verbal.”

Mr McSweeney, according to Mr Byrne, said as the allegations needed further investigation he, Byrne was suspended forthwith.

Mr Byrne said: “He asked me if I would be prepared to step down voluntarily and I said I would not be doing that as my conscience would not allow me, that I had done nothing wrong and that I was proud of my record and I did not want any inference to go out in the media or to any other stake holders in this process which would infer there was any element of guilty as I absolutely refute it, all of the allegations as I was aware of them. He then said ‘consider it done you are now suspended’ and the conversation ended.”

Mr Byrne who said he has received support from customers and employees says he will fight the allegations.