Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman for allowing me to contribute, particularly as I am not a member of the committee. I have been watching proceedings on the monitor. This is a very serious matter and no one needs to be reminded of that fact. I get the feeling that this is something of a testing-the-water exercise on the part of certain interests and we are playing right into their hands. The briefing note from the Minister states that if a formal takeover proposal is made, all relevant information to it will be placed in the public domain. The note also states that the Minister is constrained from doing the latter until such time as such a proposal is made. It is interesting that the major shareholder in Aer Lingus has as yet said nothing. I note with interest some of the observations from IALPA speculating on how this proposed takeover could be financed by IAG. If the takeover were to proceed, I presume some competition rules would come into play in respect of the Heathrow slots that would have to be disposed of. I am not a conspiracy theorist but this all points towards certain events happening if the takeover were to go ahead. Given that one should measure twice and cut once, in this instance we should measure a number of times before we decide to take any future action. I appreciate that the Minister, as a shareholder, is constrained in terms of what he can say because a formal offer has not yet been made. We are in an offer period - this is similar to the transfer window in soccer - whereby people are given the opportunity to enter into discussions without making formal offers. I stand open to correction but I understand that period lasts for six weeks.