DAA chairman resigns over former role at Anglo

THE chairman of Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and former Anglo Irish Bank board member, Gary McGann, resigned last night in a surprise move.

Mr McGann said his decision to step down was influenced by his former non-executive directorship of Anglo.

He said that at all times, he acted with “honesty and integrity” in his role at Anglo but added that given recent commentary about events at the bank, his decision was made in the best interests of the DAA and of Smurfit Kappa Group, where he is chief executive.

“I regret having to take this decision but in the current global economic downturn, I need to focus my time and energies on my principal role as chief executive of Smurfit Kappa Group,” he said.

Mr McGann said he will work with the Department of Transport to effect a smooth transition.

“I have enjoyed my tenure as the first chairman of the DAA and extend my best wishes for the future to the customers, staff, management and fellow board members,” he said.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said he accepted Mr McGann’s resignation with regret.

Earlier in the day Ryanair demanded, for the second time, that Mr McGann be removed from his position.

Last month Mr McGann stepped down as non-executive director of Anglo and Ryanair said he was no longer “an appropriate person to chair the board”.

Mr McGann was also a member of Anglo’s internal audit committee and the airline believed his role as chairman of the board of the DAA was “untenable”.

The call from Ryanair came as Anne Heraty, who also resigned from the Anglo board last month, said she was stepping down from the board of the Irish Stock Exchange this week.