MEANWHILE, Michael Smurfit was in fine form when he announced the appointment of Paddy Wright as president and chief operations officer of the Jefferson Smurfit Group.

To celebrate the elevation of the man who once said he would swim the Liffey for the chairman, Dr Smurfit invited the press to toast Mr Wright - described by his boss as "the right man at the right time" and the appointment as "the right thing to do" - with champagne.