Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I suggest this because of time constraints.

The Deputy asked about Aer Lingus. As I answered in reply to a parliamentary question this morning, Aer Lingus was on the list of assets available for sale but it was heavily conditioned in the announcements made at the time by me and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. An approach has been made by the parent holding company of British Airways to acquire not only the State shareholding but the entirety of the shareholding in Aer Lingus, and this is a matter being pursued by a group involving the Department, led by the Departments of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Finance. It will come to the Government in due course. As of now, I have not made any provision for returns or dividends from any such sale. It will be a matter to be determined in due course.

The Deputy asked particularly about Vote B5, the legal costs from the Garda case. The advice of the Attorney General was sound since we won the case. I do not want to be discordant about it, but I must say it was rather unusual to win a case on all grounds, as we did, and not have costs awarded for us. We have decided to appeal this and it is before the Supreme Court.