25/02/2010

O'Leary Accuses Government Of Incompetence

Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary has accused the Government of incompetence in dealing with the 'Hangar 6' jobs furore.

Yesterday evening Mr O'Leary and the heads of Aer Lingus and of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) were before the Oireachtas Transport Committee to discuss a fallout over jobs at the Hangar.

The Ryanair boss had promised to deliver some 300 jobs at the hangar if the Government allowed them to circumvent dealings with the DAA with whom they have a long running dispute.

During the hearing, committee members criticised Mr O'Leary for rejecting alternative hangars.

The committee was also told of the complex legal status of the hangar, which is effectively rented out from itself and that those employed would not all be direct employees and would not enjoy the pay rates they did while with the hangar's previous tenant SR Technics.

Mr O'Leary accused the Government of misrepresenting Ryanair's position in regard to the controversial Hangar 6 to his airline.

Today, Clare Fianna Fail TD and member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Timmy Dooley hit back at the criticism and Ryanair saying the public deserved answers as to what the future of Irish aviation policy will be if Fine Gael and Labour were to be in Government.

"During [yesterday’s] Oireachtas Transport Committee meeting with Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary it was blatantly obvious that Fine Gael and Labour are completely at odds over how it would deal with Ryanair in Government and its insistence that the 300 jobs remain dependent on the Hangar 6," Deputy Dooley said.

"Fine Gael's Spokesperson on Transport said that we should "stand on our heads" to ensure we get these jobs and do everything we can to ensure Ryanair creates them. On the other hand, Labour’s Spokesperson on Transport Tommy Broughan accused O’Leary of "acting like a spoilt child, waving their rattle. It seems to me you could easily do this in hangar 3 or 4.

"Fine Gael and Labour are diametrically opposed in their views of Michael O’Leary and its jobs claims. It is clear from today's meeting that Fine Gael would be prepared to cave into Ryanair at any cost, no questions asked, while Labour would side with the trade unions."

(DW/GK)


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