Mr. Evan Cullen:

In short, it is our contention that as IAG retreats in the face of this crisis it is liquidating the smaller airlines in order to save its pillar airlines. Those are British Airways, BA, which the British Government will back and Iberia which the Spanish Government will absolutely back. Unfortunately Ireland does not back Aer Lingus with any assistance other than the temporary wage subsidy scheme, which every other western EU country has done. We are asking for the Government to step up to the plate and take off the handcuffs. Both of our hands are very firmly handcuffed and we have been thrown into the river because the Government is telling people not to travel and at the same time it will not assist the very airlines that need travel in order to survive. This is absolutely an emergency. We believe things are almost at the point of no return and in the new year when this economy needs an airline industry to restart its connectivity and its economy there will not be one to bring back. To give one example, almost every pilot in Ireland has lost their pilot's licence.