THE chairman of the Shannon Airport Authority has refused to discuss the recent controversy surrounding a proposed bonus payment to the chief executive of the Dublin Airport Authority, Declan Collier.

THE Taoiseach said it was “not good practice” that Declan Collier is on the remuneration committee of AIB following controversy over his €100,000 bonus as head of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA).

The juxtaposition of many of the leading news stories of recent days should set alarm bells ringing in Dáil Éireann.

BILL CULLEN, the businessman, television star and board member of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has emerged as a significant donor to Fianna Fáil during its years in office.

THE Dublin Airport Authority and Bord Gáis paid out about €4 million in bonuses last year, it has emerged.

IRISH airports have had contrasting fortunes, with Dublin tumbling down an international ranking survey and Knock enjoying its busiest year to date.

Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan has dismissed claims by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin that Shannon Airport’s continued success was being gained at the expense of Cork Airport.

Gardaí have named a man who was stabbed to death at a Limerick house party last night, six officers have been charged in connection with the death of Freddie Gray, the future father-in-law of a Cork man whose stag has caused a storm of controversy has defended him as a “decent guy” and singer Ben E King has died at the age of 76. 

The future father-in-law of a Cork man whose stag has caused a storm of controversy has defended him as a “decent guy” who would not knowingly offend anyone, Roy Keane has revealed that he wouldn’t swap his time working with Alex Ferguson ’for anything’ and picture goes viral after two girls kiss in front of No protestors in Dublin. These are some of the latest and most read news on irishexaminer.com this lunchtime.

The chief executive of Dublin Airport Authority, Kevin Toland, has said he is “very confident” of reaching a long-term sustainable solution for Cork Airport.

A pensioner who fell on an escalator at Dublin Airport has been awarded €40,000 by a High Court judge.

The business model in place at Shannon Airport represents a race to the bottom that has resulted in the airport taking 100,000 passengers from Cork Airport.

Throughout the centuries, Cork has enjoyed a bustling level of commercial activity and trade, sitting on what is regarded as the principal port in the south-west of Ireland, writes Theo Cullinane CEO of BAM Ireland 

Hopes that the much sought-after Cork-Dublin air route could be reintroduced have been dealt a blow by Ryanair, which says demand probably would not be strong enough to warrant its reintroduction.

European affairs minister Dara Murphy has called on his government colleagues to stand over previous commitments to protect connectivity from Irish airports in light of IAG’s potential takeover of Aer Lingus.

Air traffic through debt-saddled Cork Airport nose-dived last month despite strong growth nationally.

The Government should consider subsidising the Cork-Dublin air route, the chairman of the DAA has suggested, adding that Cork Airport is at a disadvantage compared to other airports.

The Government has refused to give any lifeline of exchequer funding to Cork Airport and said it is up to airport management and DAA to reverse plummeting passenger numbers.

A Cork junior minister has said he believes a funding mechanism will be found for Cork Airport to enable it to develop new routes. Otherwise, Minister Sean Sherlock warned of “a very slow decline in activity levels at the airport”.

MICHEÁL Martin says he wants to be the next Taoiseach (not Tánaiste), that Enda Kenny is becoming increasingly detached from ordinary people, and that any talk of a split in Fianna Fáil is now buried.