The chief executive of Ryanair, Mr Michael O'Leary, has called on businesses in the Limerick region to lobby the Government on his proposal that the airline deliver one million additional passengers to the State next year in return for the right to build a terminal at Dublin Airport.

He said locally-based politicians should be asked to put the proposal to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern. "Politicians are terrified of the Midwest lobby," he said.

In a well-received address to 350 members of Limerick Chamber of Commerce, he said Shannon Airport's days as a centre for transatlantic traffic were numbered. The Government had 10 days in which to respond to the request, first made in September, or else four new aircraft would be located at other European airports instead of at Dublin and Shannon.

In a strongly worded attack on Aer Rianta, he said it was ludicrous that in 2002, when tourism would face a "meltdown", security charges would be set at €5.10 (£4.02) per passenger at Cork and Shannon and €3.80 at Dublin.