Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien is in a standoff with the DAA board, over the top post in the State airports group, two months after it backed a near €1 million exit deal for chief executive Kenny Jacobs.

Mr Jacobs remains with the company and the exit package is still on the table but cannot go ahead without approval from Mr O’Brien, who wants the parties to seek a reconciliation.

The Minister wrote to the board last Thursday withholding immediate support for the deal, asking DAA chairman Basil Geoghegan and fellow directors to consider working together again with Mr Jacobs. Arthur Beesley, Joe Brennan and Martin Wall report.