Madam, – Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has disgraced our country. Ryanair asked the Government to instruct a semi-State body, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), to allow it to acquire an aircraft hangar. Had the Government agreed to this, 300 highly skilled jobs would have been created.
Rather than support Michael O’Leary, our Government chose instead to effectively defend the existence of the DAA – a gloriously incompetent organisation that has turned Dublin Airport into a nightmare for passengers. In effect, Ms Coughlan capitulated utterly to those who regard Ryanair as a threat to their enormous sense of entitlement.
Mr O’Leary is to be congratulated for his efforts. Our inefficient semi-State bodies, arrogant public sector unions and cowardly politicians should all hang their heads in shame.
– Yours, etc,
Madam, – In the context of current aircraft maintenance management best practice and a large modern fleet embracing the latest technology that incorporates high reliability design and low maintenance inputs, Ryanair can safely manage its “heavy” maintenance requirements with a two-bay B737 hangar and some marginal subcontracting in a highly competitive market place.
To state that it requires Dublin Airport’s hangar 6 (that can accommodate about eight or nine B737s simultaneously) is a gross exaggeration which suggests a different agenda. Claims of 300 jobs in this context can be taken with the proverbial grain of salt, particularly as 200 have been established in Prestwick.
On the other hand, if they are really serious about creating maintenance jobs in Dublin Airport, there are other hangars that can amply meet their needs. It is time for Ryanair to come clean, cease behaving irrationally and focus on improving its languishing share price.
– Yours, etc,
Madam, – I note that Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary refuses to deal directly with the Dublin Airport Authority over the sale or lease of a hangar at Dublin Airport (Home News, February 16th), and instead insists the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment or the IDA should act, in effect, as his representative vis-a-vis the DAA.
Is this the same Michael O’Leary who refuses to entertain the notion that Ryanair’s pilots and other staff should have the right to deal with him through representatives of their own choosing, in that case trade union representatives, on the grounds that his workers should deal directly with the company?
– Yours, etc,
Madam, – One word alone describes the manner in which 200 vital Irish jobs were needlessly and cruelly lost: pathetic. And this is 200 jobs that have come to public light. I shudder to think how many more jobs have been lost that the public are not made aware of, due to similar bungling.
This is not a responsible way to run a country. And yet again the people involved and responsible – such as the Minister and advisers – will never be held accountable. Two-hundred families will suffer untold damage, but nobody in secure well-remunerated pensionable jobs will ever ever carry the can.
However soon the International Monetary Fund – or a benevolent dictator (would Michael O’Leary or Bill Gates, possibly be interested?) – takes over the management of our country, it won’t be soon enough.
– Yours, etc,