The following is the text of the letter sent yesterday to the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mrs O'Rourke, by the Aer Rianta chairman Mr Noel Hanlon:
Dear Minister,
Thank you for your letter of 10th January, regarding the return of Deputy Liam Lawlor to Dublin Airport on the 29th December. I have carried out a full investigation into the matter and the facts are as follows:-
1. At 21.15 hours on the 28th December one of our Directors, Mr Dermot O'Leary, contacted the duty manger on duty at the time stating that he had received a call from the Lawlor family in New York who pointed out that Mrs Lawlor in particular was very upset with regard to the return to Dublin and if anything could be done on compassionate grounds to facilitate their smooth transit through Dublin Airport on their arrival the following morning. The duty manager undertook to facilitate Mr and Mrs Lawlor, in so far as he could but at his leaving duty at 10.00 p.m. he would advise the incoming duty manager of the position. The duty manager then contacted the Airport Director who advised that Mr Lawlor could be facilitated strictly on the basis that he presented to Immigration and Customs in the normal way.
2. Mr Lawlor arrived in on flight EI 104 from New York on 29th December which arrived at 05.49 hours. He cleared Immigration and proceeded to the Baggage Hall to await his luggage. Meanwhile a Duty Sergeant spoke to the Customs Officer on duty at the exit point from the hall and enquired from him whether or not he required Mr Lawlor to walk through Customs for clearance. The Customs Officer replied that he did not require him to do so.
Mr and Mrs Lawlor collected their luggage from the baggage conveyor belt and accompanied by a Duty Sergeant exited the baggage hall through the staff entrance nearby. They walked directly across the public Arrivals Hall area and walked onto the street through the door adjacent to the revolving door and walked a short distance across the road to Mr Lawlor's car which was parked on the public roadway outside the terminal.
Whilst this facility would not be available in the normal course of events it was, as I understand, purely on compassionate grounds for Mrs Lawlor that it was agreed that the Lawlors could avail of it. Similar facilities are provided to members of the Garda Síochána who are returning with prisoners from abroad, pop stars who want to avoid huge attention from their fans and other high profile people within the State.
Whilst I appreciate that this was an unusual course of action to take for Deputy Lawlor, I do assure you there was nothing illegal or untoward done at Dublin Airport. I have arranged to have the matter however placed on the agenda for the next board meeting and to have proper protocol procedures put in place.
Yours sincerely,
Noel Hanlon, Chairman