Government sources confirmed last night that Mr Dermot O'Leary, the Fianna Fail member sacked as chairman of CIE by the then Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, Mr Michael Lowry, will this week be reappointed to the board of Aer Rianta. Mr O'Leary has already served on the board for a full five-year term and and is currently chairman of the State company's subsidiary, Aer Rianta International.

Mr O'Leary is currently suing the State for wrongful dismissal from his post at CIE. Mr Lowry asked him to leave at the height of a bitter political row over foreign travel and other issues.