Government official has yet to be presented with formal offer regarding departure benefits for head of DAA
Dublin Airport, one of Ireland's busiest transport hubs, is set to see a significant change in the coming months. The Irish Government, through the Oireachtas, is working on legislation to remove the current passenger cap of 32 million passengers per year, a process expected to take between 10 and 12 months.
The cap has been a point of contention for the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and airlines, who argue that it limits a main transport route into the State. This issue is currently being considered by European courts following a legal challenge by the airlines.
Meanwhile, Kenny Jacobs, the CEO of the company managing Dublin and Cork airports, is reportedly leaving the semi-State airport operator. Jacobs' departure, which is part of a mutually agreed exit package worth close to €1 million, follows a dispute with the DAA board that has been ongoing for some time.
Industrial relations veteran Kieran Mulvey and John Healy were called in to mediate the deteriorating relationship between Jacobs and the board, but negotiations eventually turned to a potential agreement that would see Jacobs depart the company. The DAA's chief people officer, Siobhán Griffin, acknowledged that this dispute may be unsettling for staff and assured that they would be updated if any agreement is approved.
Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien will soon bring a memo to Cabinet on his plans to lift the restrictions capping Dublin Airport's capacity. The matter is expected to be brought to Government colleagues for discussion in the first week of October. DAA has promised to update its staff "in the event of any mutual agreement" being approved regarding Jacobs' departure.
In a separate development, O'Brien was speaking in Brussels on his way into a meeting of EU environment ministers. He stated that approval to draft legislation to remove the passenger cap will be sought in the coming weeks. The focus of the DAA, including Jacobs, the executive team, and the board, remains on business-as-usual matters.
This news comes as a potential turning point for Dublin Airport, which could see increased passenger numbers and more flights in the future. The removal of the passenger cap would align with the government's ambition to boost tourism and economic growth in Ireland.
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