I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 52 together.
I wish to advise the Deputy, that while daa is State-owned, it operates on a wholly commercial basis. As such it is expected to fulfil its commercial mandate without recourse to any Exchequer funding. Indeed, it paid a dividend of €68m to the exchequer in respect of the 2024 financial year on the basis of profit after tax of €229m on record revenues in excess of €1.1bn that year.
daa confirmed on 5th February that the board and the former CEO had resolved their dispute on terms that are mutually agreeable. Following this agreement, the CEO voluntarily stepped down from his position on that date. The terms of the legal settlement agreed between the former CEO and daa are a matter for both parties, and I had no role in this matter.
In relation to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, I can confirm that daa is aware of the provisions that pertain to legal settlements and the reporting obligations in relation to same in their annual financial statements.
The appointment of a new CEO is a matter for the Board of daa to progress. It is important now that daa continues to focus its full attention on its core responsibilities, in particular the effective operation, management and future development of Dublin and Cork airports, which are essential to economic activity and growth in their respective regions and nationally.