Taxing times for O'Leary as he rakes in more millions

YOU had to feel for the guy.

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Anyone who has ever torn open a minimum-wage payslip would have recognised the sense of disillusionment.

That moment when you see the pesky taxman has taken his skim off the top and your heart sinks a little.

And for Ryanair's rock star CEO Michael O'Leary, that pain is a lot greater than for the rest of us regular working saps.

You see, Mick has bagged €100 million in a share price bonus scheme for guiding the budget airline to bumper profits.

Asked about it on RTE, he scoffed at the suggestion it was a corporate record. Seemingly other big shots in the city get these fat payouts all the time.

He then had radio listeners reaching for the violins when he declared the first thing he would have to do with this bonus.

Buy a private jet? A racehorse? Maybe an island?

No sir. The first thing he would have to do is hand over €55 million of it to the Irish exchequer.

Or to me and you in other words.

HEIFER