Yes Ryanair can certainly afford it but opening new routes is very much like buying second hand cars:
before you see it you check if you can afford it - then once you've test driven it, the haggling starts.
Route negotiations work on the same basis.
As far as buzz is concerned, they couldn't ask for that amount of subsidy simply because they wouldn't be able to deliver the passenger numbers that Ryanair does. (this being the only reason why FR is entitled to these subsidies)