Donohoe says O’Leary is not his ‘friend’ after dinner disclosure
By Cillian Sherlock, PA
Paschal Donohoe has said he paid for his own meal during a “private meeting” with Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary.
The Public Expenditure Minister has come under scrutiny from the opposition over the February 2022 meeting with the airline chief, which was previously undisclosed.
Sinn Féin finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said there was a need for Mr Donohoe to “come clean” over the meeting, accusing Fine Gael of a lack of transparency and accountability.
He said: “Paschal Donohoe is the Minister for Public Expenditure and Michael O’Leary is a business figure who is regularly seeking to influence government policy.
“It is important for the Irish people to know whose interests their government really serves.”
Mr Doherty said the minister did not disclose the dinner meeting when first asked about engagements with Mr O’Leary. He said he later acknowledged the meeting after journalists came with more information.
“We have now been told by Fine Gael that no records were kept of the meeting as no actions were taken arising from it. That’s not good enough.”
Mr Donohoe said on Friday: “Any matter that ever refers to government business is dealt with in the right way.
“Any meeting that I have with anybody that refers to Government business is recorded and it’s published in my diary.”
Mr Donohoe was Finance Minister and 18 months into his Eurogroup presidency at the time of the dinner.
Asked if it was acceptable to have a purely social meeting with the chief executive of Europe’s biggest airline, given his roles at the time, he said: “Yes, it is.”
Pressed on what the two men talked about if no official business or policy was discussed, Mr Donohoe said: “We talked about very general matters.
“If any issue in relation to government, business, regulation or policy had been dealt with, that would have been recorded and it would have been dealt with in the same way that every other engagement that I do.”
Mr Donohoe said he would not describe himself as “friends” with Mr O’Leary, adding that attendees “paid their fair share”.
It is not the first controversy involving Fine Gael and Mr O’Leary during the election campaign.
The Ryanair boss appeared to malign teachers during the launch of enterprise minister Peter Burke’s campaign in Mullingar.
Mr O’Leary and Fine Gael were criticised after the crowd at the event laughed when the airline chief said he would not hire teachers to “get things done”, saying the Dail needed more people from private sector backgrounds.
Mr Burke and senior Fine Gael figures including Taoiseach Simon Harris welcomed Mr O’Leary’s endorsement but distanced themselves from his remarks about teachers.
Mr Doherty added: “It would be instructive for the public to know just how much influence Michael O’Leary has with Fine Gael and, by extension, over decisions made by that party in government.”
Mr Donohoe was speaking to the media at the launch of Fine Gael’s election policies for Dublin and other urban centres.
The party said it is committed to transforming Dublin city centre into a more vibrant, safe and attractive destination in which to live and work.
Mr Donohoe said Fine Gael would implement recommendations of the Dublin City Centre Taskforce, with a focus on revitalising O’Connell Street, delivering more visible policing and security, and transforming derelict sites.
Fine Gael also pledged improved security measures in the city centre with increased CCTV coverage and a targeted response to reduce open drug use, redeveloping the GPO, collaborating with cultural institutions to offer more late-night events and extended opening hours.
The party said it would recruit 6,000 new gardai over the next five years and “reduce the concentration” of drug treatment facilities in the city centre.
