I really don't see what the CAA (and Aer Rianta as a whole) were supposed to do? As I recall the sequence of events was
easyJet launch 4 daily flights from LGW to Ireland (2 to ORK, 1 each to SNN and NOC), there was a huge amount of publicity around it, in newspapers, radio, etc Then FR launched all three routes, with equal or higher frequency, lower fares (€25 return and a checked bag was included in those days). easyJet quickly cut SNN but added a flight at ORK. easyJet slugged it out far a while, but ventually announced a withdrawl when FR planned something like 4 daily ORK-LGW in the winter schedule. FR almost immediately reduced to one daily flight and operated 5 daily to DUB instead, oh and jacked the prices through the roof as well.
What was the CAA to do? Somehow ban Ryanair from flying to Gatwick? They couldn't give a discount to easyJet, but not to FR on the same terms. Despite what FR would have the media believe, FR is one of the most anti-competitive airlines in the world. They have quickly dispensed with Go and easyJet in the Irish market, entering markets they never before served. They seem to have left bmiBaby to it, for some reason, although a moot point now.