It was wrong to have allowed Liam Lawlor slip out through a side entrance in Dublin Airport, the chairman of Aer Rianta, Noel Hanlon, admitted today. The Dublin West TD was returning from the United States to serve his sentence in Mountjoy jail when he was allowed avoid the waiting media by going through the side entrance in the arrivals hall.
Mr Hanlon made the comment in an exclusive interview with RTÉ News. Mr Hanlon said that the request was made to a duty officer on the night before Mr Lawlor's return by a member of the board, Dermot O'Leary.
Mr Hanlon said that Mr O'Leary made the request on compassionate grounds for Mr Lawlor's wife, who, he said, was in a highly distressed state. Mr Hanlon has also confirmed that the protocol officer in charge of the VIP area on the night refused the request to allow Mr Lawlor to go through the VIP area.
The protocol officer concerned felt Mr Lawlor was not an appropriate person to be granted the VIP facilities. However, other arrangements were made to allow Mr Lawlor and his wife leave the baggage area through an entrance not normally used by passengers.
A report on the affair is being communicated to the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mary O'Rourke.
