Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien has refused to answer a series of parliamentary questions (PQs) on DAA’s ongoing battle with its chief executive, Kenny Jacobs, and has received backing from the Ceann Comhairle.
Verona Murphy TD, the chairwoman of the Dáil, has informed Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn, who recently submitted a number of PQs on the matter, that the Minister was correct in declining to give answers, as the stand-off is now the subject of litigation.
“Whilst I appreciate the response may be unsatisfactory from your perspective, the Minister has, in my view, fulfilled the requirement of [rules governing the Dáil’s workings] by addressing each and every matter raised based on information available to him at the time, and indicating he cannot provide more information, at this time, due to ongoing legal proceedings,” Ms Murphy said in a letter to Mr O’Flynn.
Mr Jacobs started a High Court action seeking to overturn his suspension last month as the DAA board proceeds with an investigation into a number of allegations against the chief executive. The case is scheduled for mention on Friday, with lawyers on both sides preparing for a full hearing early next month.
READ MORE
Mr O’Flynn was not available for comment when The Irish Times contacted his office on Monday.
The legal case follows the termination in November of an exit agreement for Mr Jacobs, after Mr O’Brien refused to sign off on the mediated deal, known to amount to €960,000. The Irish Times initially reported on tension between both sides in early September.
The chief executive alleged in sworn evidence that while two initial complaints against him early last year were not upheld by an independent investigator, Mark Connaughton SC, the board still wanted him to go. This paved the way for the mediation.
Mr Jacobs was suspended last month as the DAA initiated an investigation into 20 other allegations, he said.
Trump vs the Fed: What does it mean for global trade and Ireland?
Mr Jacobs said he was “shell-shocked” upon coming out of a virtual meeting with DAA chairman Basil Geoghegan early on December 15th, when he was informed he was being suspended and a new round of allegations was being investigated.
“I felt ambushed and humiliated by Mr Geoghegan,” he said, adding that he was ordered to leave his office immediately, not communicate with any staff or access his email or DAA IT systems.
[ DAA commits to pausing investigation into Kenny Jacobs pending hearingOpens in new window ]
Claiming he had been sick at a nearby coffee shop only minutes after having been told by the chairman to leave his office, Jacobs has told the court the stress caused to him, his wife and his family by his suspension and matters leading up to it has been “immense”.
“I have a very real and reasonable apprehension that the board has prejudged the outcome of the process notified to me on 15 December, 2025,” he said, adding that it “can only result in serious prejudice to me if it is permitted to continue”.
