Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary was in full flight at the Commission for Aviation Regulation on Wednesday, insisting he could build Pier D at Dublin Airport for £15 million (#19 million) and that Aer Lingus would do the likewise, giving Aer Rianta two runways at no cost to them.

"What you want is low-cost facilities, not gold-plated mausoleums," he said.

He had a swipe at the regulator's "failure" to address the possibility of private and public/private funding for Aer Rianta's capex programme.

He asked: "Where in the legislation does it say Aer Rianta can subsidise the fat cats waddling down to Pier C to board their British Midland morning business flight to Heathrow?"