Ryanair Pay Tribute To Seamus Brennan

Thursday 10th July 2008

Ryanair have paid tribute to Seamus Brennan TD who has died at the age of 60.

Mr. Brennan was a politician who was instrumental in the transformation of the irish economy since the mid-late 1980's. Mr. Brennan was best known for developing the two airline strategy that enabled strong tourism growth in Ireland.

Mr. Brennan was alos involved in the proposals that were to split up the Aer Rianta airport monopoly that consisted of Shannon, Dublin and Cork airports although he was never able to make it actually occur before his death. The advent of budget airlines was assisted greatly by Mr. Brennan and without his influence Ryanair and the low-cost airline sector would have been "strangled at birth" claimed Ryanair 's Michael O'Leary. Mr. O'Leary paid tribute to Mr. Brennan and said;

"All of us here in Ryanair will mourn Seamus Brennan’s sudden and untimely passing. He was without doubt the best, most courageous and most visionary Transport Minister that Ireland has ever had. It is no exaggeration to say that without Seamus Brennan’s vision in the early 1980’s, Ryanair would not exist today and the low fare air travel revolution which benefits so many millions of European citizens on a daily basis would have been strangled at birth. All of us send our sincere condolences to his family and wide circle of friends. Both he and they are in our thoughts and prayers."