Oireachtas committee chair blasts DAA as CEO and chair refuse to appear amid crisis

"'This refusal sends out the wrong message to the public,' says Joint Oireachtas Transport Committee chair"

""Dublin Airport is a national gateway, the front door to Ireland, and with that comes responsibility to answer reasonable questions in a public forum," said Mr Murphy."

""Refusing to engage with the Oireachtas transport committee does nothing to build confidence in the governance of the airport," he added."

""It's all about fronting up, not closing doors and it's regrettable that they have closed the door.""

The DAA declined an invitation for CEO Kenny Jacobs and chair Basil Geoghegan to appear before the Joint Oireachtas Transport Committee next Wednesday. The DAA confirmed the invitation was declined but said Jacobs will attend a DAA board meeting in Cork; the company declined to confirm if the crisis or Jacobs' potential absence from parts of the meeting are agenda items. Committee chair Michael Murphy described the refusal as deeply disappointing and said the committee will explore avenues, including parliamentary powers, to secure an appearance. Relations between Jacobs and the board have deteriorated, with an agreed exit package pending ministerial sign-off.

Read at Irish Independent