The disagreement between Basil Geoghegan and Kemy Jacobs at DAA is no nearer resulutoin after another week and a statement by minister Darragh O’Brien saying it was a matter between the board and the executive.
DAA operated as a successful semi-state company that ran Dublin and Cork airports. Minister O’Brien expressed issues with how the situation developed and stressed that the board and the executive must resolve it.
Minister O’Brien focused on ensuring Dublin Airport continued its growth trajectory to increase connectivity and grow jobs in Dublin and Cork, with attention also on Shannon and regional airports.
Darragh O’Brien shared “Really it’s to the board and the executive to resolve this. I think that they’re, on a general point, if I could say, is that the idea of large packages being paid out, if a relationship breaks down between a board and an executive, I’m the shareholder on behalf of the Irish people of DAA, which is a successful semi-state company that runs Dublin and Cork airport and does it very well. I want the matter’s resolved. It is true to say that I have issues with regard to how we got to this situation. I’m not talking specifically about DAA, that’s not something that the state should be doing, in my view. They are professional people that can work out issues that are there. If they can’t be worked out, well then, there are things that can be executed through the contract. My main thing is to ensure that Dublin Airport continues in its growth trajectory, that we can continue to increase our connectivity to grow jobs in that area both in Dublin and indeed in Cork. I have a focus as well on Shannon, which is outside of the DAA group and indeed our regional airports. But I do want this resolved, but it’s not all in my gift.”
