Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being absent for part of the meeting and perhaps for repetition in my questions. I welcome the witnesses and thank them for being here. The most important thing we should leave the meeting today with, notwithstanding the pressures, is that Aer Lingus, while not a Government-owned airline, is still very important to Ireland and for Ireland. I hope the witnesses understand that anything we say or ask is to ensure the reputational damage that Aer Lingus, and we as a country, suffered last summer will never be repeated. I say this as a customer of Aer Lingus who will be flying with the airline in two weeks and who has flown with it already this year. I make no apology for saying that when I fly transatlantic I fly Aer Lingus. It is a personal choice because I believe in Aer Lingus and that is being honest.