Aer Rianta ordered to publish drink-and-cigars report

The Department of Transport has written to Aer Rianta demanding that it publish the findings of its inquiry into the drink-and-cigars incident by the close of business today.

Yesterday, the state-owned company said its report into allegations that Transport Minister Seamus Brennan has failed to pay £5,000 owed to it for more than a decade would not be completed until next week.

Mr Brennan has said that, to the best of his knowledge, the allegations are untrue.

It emerged last night that Julie O'Neill, secretary general of Mr Brennan's department, has written to Aer Rianta telling it that the department's own findings cannot be published until the company has completed its investigations.