Ryanair 'made airport jobs offer months before Aer Lingus deal'

Ryanair has published correspondence showing it offered to create 500 jobs at Dublin Airport 10 months before a deal was struck with Aer Lingus.

The airline committed to creating 500 aircraft maintenance jobs in a letter written to the Tánaiste Mary Coughlan from the airline's Chief Executive Michael O'Leary on Feburary 26, 2009.

In the letter, Ryanair stressed the offer was conditional on it not engaging directly with the Dublin Airport Authority.

The airline has said that Aer Lingus did not sign the lease of Hangar 6 - the former SR Technics site - until Christmas Eve.