Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

On the issue of Aer Lingus and as I said to Deputy Kenny some time ago, that report is being prepared. It should be ready some time in October and will examine some of the strategic issues raised about Aer Lingus. The Government will examine that report. I said previously that the idea of a management buy-out was not one I thought received support but we have to do these things properly and examine it. We also have to be realistic and twice in the past 14 years Aer Lingus has experienced grave difficulties, once in the early 1990s when we had to give what was then very substantial resources in the order of £360 million to help the company at that stage, which worked successfully, and then more recently on the back of the events of 11 September. There is no doubt that the good work of staff and trade unions in the airports is highly commendable. They have done a great deal to help keep the airline functioning and put it back into profit from the difficult situation in which it found itself in the last quarter of 2001. However, we cannot close our eyes to what is happening around the world. Some of the great airlines have gone because they were not able to compete and survive. As an island country we have a strategic national interest in an airline. These issues must be carefully examined and the Government will do that.

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