The position of Mr Dermot O'Leary as an Aer Rianta director will be decided this week following consultations between the most senior members of the Cabinet.
Mr O'Leary, who arranged for Mr Liam Lawlor TD and his wife, Hazel, to pass through Dublin Airport away from waiting media last month has said that he is not going to resign from the position.
However the situation has becoming increasingly embarrassing for the Government. The spotlight is once again on Mr Lawlor, on whose support it relies in crucial Dáil votes.
Mr O'Leary, a former chairman of CIÉ, is a member of the Fianna Fáil national executive. Labour TD Mr Pat Rabbitte yesterday questioned why the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, and the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, were to be consulted on this issue by the Minister for Public Enterprise; Mrs O'Rourke. She is to speak to them following an Aer Rianta board meeting.
"On the one hand this story is a pain in the neck but then when you see that the the four most senior Ministers in the land have to have discussions on it, one begins to wonder why it's so important," said Mr Rabbitte. "Issues such as people waiting on hospital trolleys or factory closures don't get that sort of attention."
The Dublin South West TD said he believed so much attention was being paid to the matter because Mr O'Leary has been "involved in a number of controversies previously and they do not feel in a position to fire him.
"One needs to look over his career. He's been a big wig, not just in the South Central constituency but in the Fianna Fáil organisation generally. His record in CIÉ leaves an awful lot to be desired."
Mr Rabbitte said that at the top of Fianna Fáil "croneyism is still going on and it's the kind of croneyism that State companies can do without".
Mr Ahern refused to comment on the controversy over the weekend, saying he wanted to wait until he receives a report from Mrs O'Rourke on the matter.
"I don't know precisely what has happened but I think that it will come to light very quickly from the (AER RIANTAboard, and their report to the Minister and the Minister will discuss it with her colleagues," said Mr Ahern.
Meanwhile, Ms Hazel Lawlor issued a statement over the weekend saying that it was she who contacted Mr O'Leary, who was a friend for a number of years, "to see if he could offer any advice or assistance that I could pass through the airport without being harassed by the media.
"I made it clear to Dermot that any assistance that could be given would be greatly appreciated and that it was to facilitate me personally.
"Dermot subsequently informed me that airport personnel would assist if possible and I am very grateful for the courtesy shown to me by Aer Rianta staff on the day," she said.
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