New transport minister

Zaph0d

The new transport minister is Martin Cullen. The man who gave us the fantastic e-voting system for €50 mil.

Séamus Brennan has moved to Social and Family affairs.

maxheadroom

At least he's not afraid to spend money

thejollyrodger

Lets hope he cant fix all the balls of an attempt at infastructure.

mike65

Good news for us down here, maybe.

Mike.

Victor

Ah, poo.

Victor

http://www.rte.ie/business/2004/0930/aerrianta.html

Relief at Brennan's transfer - Hanlon
September 30, 2004 17:16

The outgoing chairman of Aer Rianta, Noel Hanlon, has said it is a great relief to aviation interests that Seamus Brennan has been transferred from the Department of Transport.

Speaking as Aer Rianta is due to be replaced by the Dublin Airport Authority at midnight, Mr Hanlon said the whole fabric of the company has been pulled asunder by Mr Brennan's restructuring plans.

He said the fact that Mr Brennan was being transferred appeared to suggest that he had not been doing his job in the best interests of the Irish people and the Irish Government.


He said it was clear that former Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy had shared his view that Shannon airport could not survive as an independent entity, particularly if the Shannon stopover disappeared. He doubted whether the full separation of Cork and Shannon would take place on schedule next May.

Asked about the termination package for outgoing chief executive Margaret Sweeney, estimated at around €800,000, Mr Hanlon said she had got around twice her annual basic pay - the same as any employee leaving Aer Rianta could get.

He said he believed Ms Sweeney had been shafted by legislation restructuring the company, saying she had been treated despicably.

While she had only been CEO for nine months, she had been Deputy Chief Executive for some time before that, and had retired under the terms of her Deputy Chief Executive contract.

Mr Hanlon also said it would be an appalling tragedy if lands owned by the company were given over to private interests to develop a second terminal at Dublin Airport. He said the airport should remain a state asset and be developed by the state for the benefit of Ireland.

He rejected suggestions that Aer Rianta was inefficient, but conceded that there was a serious congestion problem at Dublin airport. .However, he blamed the Government for preventing the Aer Rianta Board from proceeding with developing the airport, saying they had destroyed the company.

He said it is a very sad day when the Aer Rianta brand disappears from the Irish and international aviation scene.

sliabh

outgoing chairman of Aer Rianta, Noel Hanlon wrote:

He rejected suggestions that Aer Rianta was inefficient, but conceded that there was a serious congestion problem at Dublin airport. .However, he blamed the Government for preventing the Aer Rianta Board from proceeding with developing the airport, saying they had destroyed the company.

He said it is a very sad day when the Aer Rianta brand disappears from the Irish and international aviation scene.

Hah! Would he like to come down to discuss that with me when I am spending 20 minutes going through the poxy security queues because his staff have only got people on half of the metal detectors in the security area?

Flukey

I don't think Martin Cullen is going to be much different. He could have had the M50 finished ages ago if he had the good sense to re-route it at Carrickmines, which could have easily been done and saved a lot of money and hassle, compared to what we have had. So I would no great hopes for Martin Cullen doing a great job. He would have been on my list for one of the people that could have been dropped altogether.

narommy

Flukey wrote:

I don't think Martin Cullen is going to be much different. He could have had the M50 finished ages ago if he had the good sense to re-route it at Carrickmines, which could have easily been done and saved a lot of money and hassle, compared to what we have had..

Would you be an environmentalist by chance???

How much extra pollution has been spewed into the atmosphere by cars stuck in traffic because the M50 isn't finished???????????

If he rerouted the M50 he would have to reopen all other projects under planning/construction for various "important" sites that nobody would know about unless the tests for the roads were done.

The government cannot give in to minorities who are trying to prevent improvements in the quality of life of the was majority of the population.

dowlingm

Well, if Noel "Cartier watch" Hanlon is glad SB is going, maybe we should all be worried... :eek: :rolleyes:

enterprise

Im glad Brennan is gone as well, He has totally messed up on the break up of Aer-Rianta and proposed break up of Dublin Bus & the CIE Group.

How long until we see Shannon and Cork going to the government with their begging bowls? At least before Dublin was able to cross-subsidise these two regional airports - it cant be done now!

However, saying that - will Cullen be any better? I doubt it! Another annoying "Hobbit" to deal with.