Minister refuses to step in to airport row

TRANSPORT Minister Martin Cullen distanced himself yesterday from the surprise resignation of an airport worker-director over a deal with Ryanair.

SIPTU worker director Dermot O'Loughlin resigned from the Dublin Airport Authority over what he says was a lack of consultation on the deal struck between Ryanair and the new Shannon Airport Authority.

The agreement with was part of a new incentive scheme allowing airlines significant discounts on landing fees if planes are based at Shannon.

But because Shannon will not be totally independent of Dublin until next March, it needed the approval of the new Dublin Airport Authority before the deal could be sanctioned.

Mr O'Loughlin said he was in the process of giving his views on the deal to the Dublin Airport Authority board and asking for a cost benefit analysis, when he heard that the deal had been sanctioned.

The SIPTU worker-director said he felt as insignificant as the ducks on the wall of one homeowner in the popular soap opera, Coronation Street.

But Mr Cullen distanced himself from Mr O'Louglin's surprise resignation and said he was disappointed with what had happened.

The minister said some people have to consider these issues in the broader sense and it was not easy.

Asked about Mr O'Loughlin's concerns, Mr Cullen said: "He has made his point of view known and it's not for me to get directly involved it's a matter for the board of Dublin, it's a matter for the board of Shannon."

The minister said these issues arise from time to time, but he stressed that we have to keep them in perspective.

"There's a huge future for Dublin, there's a huge future for Shannon and I think they want to be masters of their own destiny."

Mr Cullen said he respected the people involved and he believed the recent announcements for Shannon had been extremely positive and demonstrate that there is a huge future for that airport.

But a Ryanair spokesman said last night that SIPTU was only interested in block, stop and stall tactics.

"It is time Bertie Ahern proceeded immediately with the much needed second competing terminal at Dublin Airport and ignored the SIPTU dinosaurs," the spokesman said.