Chairman of embattled hotel group ‘not on jolly’
THE chairman of Ireland’s largest hotel operator has been in Greece since the start of this month, the Irish Daily Mail can reveal.
John Hennessy of Dalata – the embattled company that operates the Maldron and Clayton hotels and which laid off 3,500 employees in April – flew to the Mediterranean destination two weeks ago.
But according to Dalat’s chief executive Pat McCann, Mr Hennessy is not on a holiday, but is visiting an ‘extremely ill’ friend.
In April, Dalata revealed that it had laid off 3,500 employees resulting from the impact of the health crisis. Earnings at the hotel group fell almost 25% in the first three months of this year to €17.7million from €23million during the opening quarter of 2019. However, the company confirmed that it has €140million to €150million in cash, enough to see it through to the end of this year. Mr McCann said at the time he was sorry that the group had been forced to lay off staff as a result of Covid-19-related closures.
Yesterday he confirmed to the Irish Daily Mail: ‘John is in Greece but visiting a friend who is extremely ill and who had surgery over there.
‘The impression might be that he’s off having a jolly, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Before he even decided to go, John came to me for advice on what to do. Even though he wasn’t obliged to inform me of his plans I was satisfied his journey was justified.
‘He has done what I feel is the honourable thing and his behaviour has been impeccable.’
It is understood that Mr Hennessy is due to arrive back in Ireland this weekend, but as Greece is on the Covid-19 green list for travel he will not have to restrict his movements once he returns.
However, according to Mr McCann, he will do so anyway as ‘an extra precautionary measure’.
The Dalata CEO was eager to give an explanation about Mr Hennessy’s trip abroad, especially in light of recent controversies within the travel sector.
Earlier this month, Michael Cawley, the chairman of the taxpayer-funded Fáilte Ireland, stepped down after it emerged he travelled to Italy on holiday despite Government advice to avoid non-essential travel abroad. Mr Cawley said he had resigned with ‘great regret’, saying he did not want the issue of his prearranged family holiday to Italy to distract from the work of Fáilte Ireland in rebuilding the Irish tourism industry.
Earlier this week, the Government deferred removing Greece from the green list despite the country entering a ‘second wave’ of Covid-19.
It was noted that there was a 14day incidence rate of 22.5 cases per 100,000 in the country.
However, the Cabinet decided to defer the removal of Greece and any other changes to the green list over concerns that it would present a confusing message to the public.
Officials in Greece have blamed the spike in cases on overcrowding in clubs and social events.
Gkikas Magiorkinis, assistant professor of hygiene and epidemiology at Athens university, said last week: ‘Greece has formally entered a second wave.’
The green list is to be reviewed by the Cabinet next week.
‘His behaviour has been impeccable’