Fine Gael’s Pascal Donohoe hosted a private, undisclosed dinner meeting at an upscale Dublin restaurant with Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O’Leary in February 2022.

A spokeswoman for Mr Donohoe said it was a private dinner and no commercial matters were discussed, nor any policy or regulatory matters. It was not included in his ministerial diary – which his spokeswoman said is “primarily used to record official events”.

No records were kept because it was a private dinner, and no action was taken as a result, she said.

When first contacted by the Irish Times earlier this month to inquire whether Mr Donohoe had met Mr O’Leary, the minister’s team only revealed the dinner after being approached again to get more information about his schedule.

Mr Donohoe’s spokeswoman said the information was not provided after this initial approach because it was a “private dinner”. The dinner took place at Delahunt, a fashionable restaurant in Dublin 2. Another unnamed person attended.

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“Another person was present at the dinner. We will not comment on the identity of this person, out of respect for the privacy of the person in question,” Mr Donohoe’s spokeswoman said.

Ryanair confirmed that Mr O’Leary met Mr Donohoe for dinner in early February 2022. “It was a social dinner in a Dublin restaurant in the company of other people. No Ryanair activity or regulation as Min Donoghue (sic) has no responsibility for transport or tourism.

No lobbying feedback has been made by Ryanair regarding the dinner. The airline said: “Since this was a social setting (in a public place), no lobbying took place and no lobbying feedback was required or necessary. »

Under lobbying laws, not all contacts between businesses and politicians must be recorded in the state registry for tracking lobbying. It should only be disclosed when an issue such as the development or modification of public policies is on the agenda, or the preparation of amendments or laws, or the provision of grants, loans or grants. other similar matters involving public funds.

Fine Gael faced significant political backlash following comments made by Mr O’Leary at the launch of Business Minister Peter Burke’s campaign just after the general election was called. A video of his remarks released after the event showed him saying he would not hire teachers “to go out and get things done”, saying the Dáil was “full of teachers”.

( Michael O’Leary’s hit against teachers will only reflect on Fine GaelOpens in a new window )

The outspoken aviation boss subsequently doubledclaiming he had been the victim of a pile-up. Ryanair recently openly criticized the restriction of traffic through Dublin Airport which would have led to a restriction in the number of landing slots for planes next summer. Mr O’Leary strongly criticized the Green Party transport minister Eamon Ryanwho said he would not intervene in the planning system.

A High Court ruling earlier this month suspended the cap and prevented slot restrictions from being imposed.