Airport bosses deny link to document

THE chairman of Cork Airport Authority, Joe Gantly, and senior management staff, have disowned a document which made serious allegations about middle management at the airport.

According to an Irish Examiner source, a meeting was held at 9am yesterday, resulting from the finding of a single sheet of paper which contained only three references, all relating to middle management.

It said there was “no leadership”, there was a “weak management” and there were “dysfunctional reporting lines”.

Furthermore, it was discovered in an office in which a meeting had been held to discuss future plans.

Yesterday’s meeting was described as “frank and open”.

A spokesman for the authority said the meeting was a regular weekly meeting involving Mr Gantly and senior management at the airport.

But, he did confirm that during this meeting there had been “a discussion about the document”.

“The document in question was very much a preparatory document and an initial draft, whose content does not reflect in any way the opinion of the Cork airport management or authority,” said the spokesman.

Worker-director Sean McSuibhne said he had heard about the document, but could make no comment as he had not seen it.

Less than a week ago, Fianna Fáil TD Noel O’Flynn, who is also a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, requested Transport Minister Martin Cullen to examine allegations of low staff morale at the airport.

At the time, Mr Gantly denied there were morale problems, although Mr O’Flynn had said he was approached by a number of staff about it, while changes in senior staff were unnerving other staff members.

Cork Airport will remain under the Dublin Airport Authority until a business plan is prepared for the airport and approved by the Government.

The business plan is being conducted by BDO Simpson Xavier.