Ryanair attacks retention of €3 travel tax

RYANAIR boss Michael O’Leary has insisted the Government’s decision to retain the €3 travel tax will damage the economy.

As a war of words erupted between the outspoken business leader and Transport Minister Leo Varadkar, Mr O’Leary warned that his company was scaling back its operations in Dublin in favour of more “friendly” hubs such as Rome and Barcelona.

Mr O’Leary said the Government’s decision not to abolish the travel levy would only produce €30m in income this year and see Ireland miss out of benefiting from the airline’s “enormous growth”.