Airports chief executive breaks silence after months of board turmoil at semi-state company

Speaking exclusively to the Irish Independent, Mr Jacobs confirmed that he is willing to enter further mediation with a view to staying on as chief executive of the semi-state airport operator.

The DAA board and CEO had previously agreed an exit deal, reached following mediation, that would see Mr Jacobs leave his contract early and receive a €1m exit package.

While the deal was struck weeks ago but Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien has not yet signed off on it.

“The Minister is not signing and that is his prerogative,” said Mr Jacobs following an aviation event in Dublin.

He added: “I respect the Minister’s decision. I’m more than happy to continue in the role and I’m more than happy to engage with board to work things out.”

Mr O’Brien has also told the DAA board that he would prefer that the board and Mr Jacobs to reconcile. However, the board has told the Minister that its position regarding Mr Jacobs has not changed.

It had been anticipated that Mr Jacobs leave his role in January and receive a near €1m payment, once the package was approved by Mr O’Brien and Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers.

It’s believed that Mr O’Brien does not want to set a precedent of a Minister having to intervene in board disputes, however.

Mr Jacobs and the DAA board, whose chair is Basil Geoghegan, have been at odds after two complaints were made about the CEO via protected disclosures.

While those complaints were investigated, they were dismissed.

A further complaint has now been made regarding Mr Jacobs by a DAA staff member through a board member.

Mr Jacobs declined to comment on that complaint.

“I have absolutely no comment,” he said. “Everybody needs to respect the formal processes that are in place for dealing with matters like these.”

Mr Geoghegan’s term as DAA chair is due to end next June. The board also includes some worker-director as well as executives from the private sector.

Mr Jacobs, a former chief marketing officer with Ryanair, is just less than three years into a seven-year term as DAA chief executive.

He has pursued a strategy that includes tackling Fingal County Council and the Government in relation to the controversial passenger cap at Dublin Airport, and also undertaking a number of operational changes.

He was travelling last week in the Middle East last week, where the DAA has a strong presence in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Oman and Bahrain via its DAA International and Aer Rianta International arms.

The DAA controls Dublin Airport and Cork Airport, which are now facing into one of the busiest times of the year as Christmas approaches.

Dublin Airport is subject to a 32 million annual passenger cap that Mr Jacobs has been vocal in trying to have removed. The airport is likely to have breached that cap this week and is on track to handle more than 36 million passengers this year.

The programme for government has pledged to have the cap removed, but it remains in place. Mr O’Brien said in September that the Government would introduce legislation to remove it.