Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)

Tugaim tacaíocht iomlán don tairiscint thábhachtach seo atá curtha os ár gcomhair ag Páirtí Shinn Féin, is é sin, cur i gcoinne na bpleananna atá beartaithe ag an Rialtas tromlach Aer Lingus a dhíol le comhlachtaí príobháideacha. Táim glan i gcoinne a leithéid de rud a dhéanamh. Ba chóir an aerlíne náisiúnta a choimeád in úinéireacht an Stáit, agus ba chóir don Stát Éireannach cibé infheistiú atá ag teastáil a chur ar fáil d'Aer Lingus.

I wholeheartedly support the motion before us which seeks to retain and defend the national airline as an important State asset. I deplore the recent Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats decision to sell off 60% of the national airline which, as the motion states, is "held by the State on behalf of the Irish people". If this majority stake sell-off goes ahead it marks the beginning of the end of Aer Lingus. Despite all the talk about setting down certain conditions for the sale of the national asset, no doubt in time reasons will be found to sell off the remaining minority stake and in due course Aer Lingus will be stripped of its assets for the profit of private interests.

The Government's amendment with its grandiose words about "commitment to ensuring that Aer Lingus continues to make a significant and valuable contribution to the economic and tourism development of the country" rings hollow when we recall the sell-off of Telecom Éireann. In that sale a Fianna Fáil Government conned 500,000 people into believing that they would watch their investment grow in the privatised Eircom. Where is Eircom now? Who owns that great national asset and watches that investment grow? It is not the Irish people.

Anything the Government parties say about their comprehensive plan for the long-term success and growth of Irish aviation should be treated with the contempt it deserves. For an island nation in which the tourism industry plays such a critical economic role it defies logic to sell off the national airline, particularly when Aer Lingus has shown that, with a dedicated workforce, it can compete with low-cost airlines and make a significant profit.

I join those who proposed this motion in commending the workers in Aer Lingus who, over many years, built up the company and whose future may soon be in the hands of individuals who care nothing for workers' rights and less about public interest.

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