The chief executive of Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, has turned down the offer of an honorary doctorate from the University of Limerick (UL). A bitter dispute about the decision to recognise him in the first place, however, is continuing at the college.
It is understood that Mr O'Leary has informed the UL in recent days that he does not wish to receive the award.
The decision to make the award was made by the University of Limerick's governing authority earlier this month.
He was proposed for the honour by Tadhg Kearney, a local member of the Progressive Democrats, who sits on the 31-member governing authority. Earlier, the proposal to award Mr O'Leary had been endorsed by the college's academic council.
The governing authority endorsed the decision by a narrow margin after what sources call "a very heated" debate.
Student union and other representatives objected to the award because of Ryanair's approach to industrial relations and what is seen in some quarters as its insensitive approach to people with disabilities.
However his supporters on the governing authority said he deserved the reward because of his contribution to the Shannon airport and the regional and national impact of his low fares policy.
Last night, a Ryanair spokeswoman said Mr O'Leary would not be making any comment on something which was a private matter. It is understood he has rejected the offer of honorary academic awards from other third-level colleges in the past.
UL student union president St John Ó Donnabháin said: "We voted against Michael O'Leary because we feel that honorary doctorates shouldn't be about publicity stunts, they should mean something. Michael O'Leary won't bring credit on the college as he represents a shrill voice against unions and people with disabilities, among others."
The controversy over the award will re-open the debate across the third-level sector about honorary degrees.
Last year, there was considerable controversy after UCD awarded honorary degrees to Ryder Cup captains Ian Woosnam and Tom Lehman and senior golf officials.
The honorary doctorates were given by UCD without reference to the National University of Ireland (NUI), the group which awards degrees in UCD and three other Irish universities. In response, NUI chancellor Dr Garret FitzGerald called an extraordinary meeting of the NUI senate, after complaints from academics about UCD's action.
