Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

No, the important point here is that were Mr. Kavanagh the chief executive of British Airways - perhaps he will be some day in the future, given that is the natural progression - he would be negotiating with a Government. Essentially, that is what is going on here over the airwaves. I am sure the officials in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, who at 7.20 p.m. may have nothing better to be doing, are watching these proceedings. Were Mr. Kavanagh negotiating with a Government and trying to buy its stake, would it not make absolute, logical sense for him to put the best possible offer on the table? This is not a run-of-the-mill commercial offer but entails negotiating with the Government which, for a wide range of reasons, has political constraints and everything else out there in the ether. I acknowledge some people, such as those responsible for an bord snip nua and so on, might regard members as glorified county councillors.

There is an objective that the Government has to maintain, but it has been lost. It is in the interests of the airlines, IAG and Aer Lingus, to give the longest possible commitment to two airports that are hanging on a limb, waiting to be cut off.