The newly-formed Dublin Airport Authority takes over from Aer Rianta at midnight tonight as part of the highly-controversial restructuring plan for Irish aviation industry.
From tonight, the Dublin authority will effectively control the assets of Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports. This is because the two new authorities at Cork and Shannon will not immediately take ownership of their respective assets.
Cork and Shannon cannot take ownership of the assets until they produce business plans. According to the legislation, this cannot happen until next May at the earliest.
The inaugural meeting of the new Dublin Airport Authority took place earlier this month. Mr Seamus Brennan, who was moved from his position as Minister for Transport in yesterday's reshuffle said the new structure was "required so that each [authority] can focus on their own airport's going into the future".
But the change was not popular in Aer Rianta. Speaking on his last day in the position, outgoing Aer Rianta chairman, Mr Noel Hanlon, said there was "great relief" Mr Brennan was gone.
"I think to the aviation industry it is a great relief that he is no longer Minister.
"It must have been considered that he wasn't doing the job to the best interest of the Irish people," he told RTE television during an interview.
Earlier, the Taoiseach dismissed the idea that Mr Brennan was "demoted" by being given the Social and Family Affairs portfolio.
Mr Ahern said: "I see that job as enormously important and issues in that department affect hundreds of thousands of people.
"I consider every job in the cabinet important. I don't think there's any job that's not important. You have to pick people who will do a good job in whatever area."