Aer Rianta board called in for Sweeney package vote

Board members at Aer Rianta were summoned yesterday to vote on the severance package for departing chief executive Ms Margaret Sweeney.

The package, believed to have been approved unanimously, was announced last Friday in a company statement, but directors only got a chance to vote on it yesterday in a meeting at Dublin Airport. The package, which includes some pension contributions, is thought to total between €750,000 and €800,000.

Last week was meant to be the final Aer Rianta board meeting, but directors were told to assemble yesterday to vote on the terms proposed for Ms Sweeney. The Dublin Airport Authority takes over from Aer Rianta at the end of the week.

The vote in favour effectively means there is little the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, can do to stop the package being implemented.

He reiterated his position yesterday that the incoming Dublin Airport Authority should be allowed to examine the package and legal issues involved.

However the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, consented to the package last week as the Government's shareholder in Aer Rianta. When asked about this yesterday, Mr Brennan said that it was up to the Department of Finance to consider its own position.

The issue has renewed tensions between the two ministers. Mr McCreevy finishes as Minister for Finance this week, while Mr Brennan is awaiting the outcome of the Cabinet re-shuffle.

It is believed Ms Sweeney has strong legal advice suggesting that nobody can lose their job through legislation. She has maintained that the terms of the State Airport's Act effectively force her to re-apply for her job. The Act stipulates that the chief executive of the new authority should be selected following an open competition.

The Department of Transport has maintained for several weeks that Ms Sweeney is performing her role as an "acting" chief executive. The Department claims this was made clear to Ms Sweeney at the time of her appointment. However, other legal advice suggests there is no such position in semi-state companies as acting chief executive.

Ms Sweeney is expected to serve in her role for a transitional period until the Dublin Airport Authority chief executive is selected.

With so much controversy surrounding the hand-over from Aer Rianta to the Dublin Airport Authority, the incoming chairman, Mr Gary McGann, may seek to appoint someone without previous connections to any of the three airports.

By the end of the week, the Dublin Airport Authority will take responsibility for the assets and liabilities of the Aer Rianta group.