O’Leary: State should pull out of airports

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has called on the Government to dispose of all state-ownership of airports in Ireland following its decision to grant independence to Shannon Airport.

The airline boss hit out at his usual targets of the Dublin Airport Authority and the Department of Transport during a speech at a conference organised by the Irish Aviation Authority yesterday.

While welcoming the decision on Shannon, Mr O’Leary criticised the Government initiative, The Gathering as “all fur and no knickers”.