Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Walsh and Mr. Griffin for attending. The committee invited the various stakeholders to come before it and members heard all of their views. We were aware that the Government's shareholding of 25.1% in Aer Lingus was not going to be a game changer and that support was going to be required from elsewhere. I do not believe the committee created an impression in that regard and I certainly did not get that impression.

A number of major issues arise in respect of this matter, of which connectivity is the first, particularly in the context of Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports. This matter was touched on in the context of the guarantees IAG was prepared to give in respect of Cork and Shannon airports. Mr. Walsh has indicated that IAG is prepared to provide a five-year guarantee regarding the 23 slots at Heathrow Airport. In May 2014 he gave an interview to The Independentin which he complained about not having enough slots to service the developing Far East, African and South American markets and also the transatlantic market.