Cost of deploying Defence Forces at airport will be covered by DAA, Ryan says

James Cox

The cost of sending Defence Force personnel to the airport will be fully covered by the DAA.

That is according to the Transport Minister as members of the army prepare to help out airport staff from next week.

There has been more travel chaos this week with 10 Aer Lingus flights suffering Covid related cancellations between today and tomorrow.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said an agreement has been reached to ease the pressure on airport staff this summer.

Mr Ryan told Newstalk: "All those arrangements, there will be an agreement between the Department of Defence and Dublin Airport. Dublin Airport will be paying fully for the measures that they will need."

'Cheap labour'

Defence Forces members will "step up to the plate", despite misgivings the personnel are being used as cheap labour at Dublin Airport, the president of the representative organisation PDFORRA has said.

Mark Keane told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland that his members wore the uniform which obliged them to serve, so they would be ready to do so.

Members of the Defence Forces always acted in the best interests of the State, he said, adding: "This will be no different."

However, he expresses concerned that his organisation had not been consulted about the plans to assist at Dublin Airport.

While Mr Keane accepted that being deployed was part of army life, in this case, the issue had been discussed repeatedly by politicians over the past few months, and it was not unforeseen, so he felt there could have been consultation about the details of the support.