Ryanair Chief, Michael O'Leary criticized Tanaiste Mary Coughlan, accusing her for the loss of 500 engineering jobs which the low-cost carrier had proposed to create at Dublin Airport.

Mr. O'Leary, while releasing copies of his correspondence with the Tanaiste on Ryanair's job creation proposals to the Sunday Independent, blamed Mary Coughlan of failing to act upon them.

The letters reveal how Ryanair offered to take over the former SR Technics facility at Dublin Airport and re-employ 500 of the aircraft engineers who had worked there before it was closed down.

Ryanair's only stipulation was that Ms. Coughlan, as Minister for Enterprise, or the IDA would act as intermediary with the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA). But the carrier instead, opened a new maintenance base at Glasgow Prestwick airport employing 200 people.

Tanaiste Mary Coughlan and Transport Minister Noel Dempsey have been accused of doing nothing to help clinch its offer of 500 new engineering and maintenance posts at the hub by the budget airline.