Ryanair: State should honour Cork Airport pledge

RYANAIR has waded into the row over Cork Airport’s debt, saying it should not have to pay back its parent company, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), for the new terminal.

The largest airline in Ireland also called on the Government to honour its original commitment and allow the airport start its autonomous life debt-free.

The Ryanair statement came days after it was announced that Peter Cassells was to mediate in the debt dispute between the Cork Airport Authority and the DAA.

Cork Airport management claims it cannot pay back more than €60 million, while the DAA says it is easily able to pay €100m.

The break-up of the two airports is dependent on an agreement being reached, and Mr Cassells is expected to have his report finalised by March 7.

Ryanair said the Government must honour the promise made to Cork Airport by former Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan, which would allow it to compete for growth, free from the DAA monopoly.

The budget airline claimed that Cork Airport’s €220m upgrade was built by “the DAA monopoly despite the unanimous opposition of Cork’s airlines to this over-specified white elephant”.

Ryanair has always maintained that the Cork terminal cost 10 times more than similar-sized airport terminals elsewhere in Europe, and it is the DAA’s overspending that has given rise to Cork Airport’s debt.

The airline’s deputy chief executive, Michael Cawley, said the DAA has the funds to cancel Cork’s debts and it should do so now.

“The Government should honour its promise to cancel Cork Airport’s debt. The DAA monopoly should use the €800m it has raised from the sale of Birmingham, Dusseldorf and Hamburg airports and the Great Southern Hotel group to pay off this debt,” Mr Cawley said.

“The Government has no business appointing a trade union mediator to decide on this issue. This is just another Bertie fudge. The Government promised that Cork Airport would be debt-free, and the DAA has the money to do so. It is time that Cork Airport’s debt was cancelled and this Government kept its promises to the people of Cork,” Mr Cawley added.