The High Court today continues the hearing of an application by a Ryanair pilot to have the company's chief executive, Michael O'Leary, and its director of flight and ground operations, David O'Brien, jailed for alleged contempt of a court order he secured.
Pilot John Goss claims that, despite a February 28th High Court order restraining Ryanair from conducting a disciplinary meeting with him pending the outcome of his full action against the airline, he was suspended on April 12th and this amounts to contempt.
He claims he was suspended because Ryanair wished to let its employees know the consequences of enforcing their rights through legitimate industrial relations procedures of the State.
Ryanair denies contempt and claims the suspension was temporary and was "an operational and safety decision".
Mr O'Leary and Mr O'Brien attended yesterday's court hearing which continues today before Mr Justice Barry White.
In an affidavit in the contempt proceedings, Mr O'Brien said yesterday it would be wholly inappropriate to allow Mr Goss for operational and safety reasons to fly passenger aircraft during the run up to the High Court proceedings fixed for May 31st.
This was because of "the inevitable pressures and strains of such High Court proceedings".