Ryanair chief hits out at Government’s ‘failure to keep promises’

RYANAIR last night slated the decision by the Government to allow the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) to build the second terminal.

Ryanair chief executive Micheal O’Leary said that the Government had breached its commitment on the issue.

In their Programme for Government, published in 2002, the Coalition partners pledged: “We will examine proposals for a new independent terminal at Dublin Airport and progress them if the evidence suggests that such a terminal will deliver significant benefits.”

Ryanair had repeatedly called for the second terminal to be operated by the private sector. The airline also told the Government it was willing to finance, build and run the terminal, and made a submission outlining how this could be done.

However, the Government made little of the submission, and it was announced last night that the DAA would build the second terminal.

It remains to be seen who will run the new terminal after the management contract for the terminal is put out to tender.

The winner will be decided upon by an independent panel, but the DAA will be considered favourites to land the job.

Mr O’Leary reacted to the decision furiously last night. He said the Programme for Government had promised to examine proposals for a new independent terminal. It also committed the Government to progressing such a terminal if it would deliver significant benefits.

He added that an advisory group appointed by the Government had confirmed the advantages of a privately-run terminal over two years ago, but Mr Ahern had still failed to act on its recommendations.

Mr O’Leary claimed the Government’s announcement of the decision yesterday evening was designed to give it “a free run” to announce a policy that constituted a breach of its own commitment.

The result of years of delay on deciding the question of a second terminal, he added, meant Dublin Airport was “not just a slum but is testament to the failure of Bertie Ahern to keep his election promises with the electorate.”

And he predicted that millions of airline passengers would who experience lengthy delays, long queues and expensive car parking costs at the airport would oppose the decision.