Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Gabhaim mo bhuíochas le gach Teachta a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht seo, ach go háirithe leo siúd a thacaigh leis an rún. Nuair a chuala mé cinneadh an Rialtais an tseachtain seo caite, ní raibh an dara rogha agam ach an dúshlán a thabhairt do gach Teachta seasamh go soiléir ar son nó in aghaidh Aer Lingus mar chomhlacht Stáit. Tá an rogha sin ag gach Teachta sa vótáil anocht.

I thank all Deputies who have participated in the debate, especially those who will support the motion. Deputies are being given a very clear choice tonight to vote for or against the sell-off and sell-out of our national airline. There can be no fudging now. The difference between the Sinn Féin motion and the Government amendment is clear and stark.

The privatisation of Aer Lingus is being carried out in the manner of a classic Fianna Fáil stroke. The final decision was a very long time in coming and there were many nods and winks to supporters and opponents of privatisation. While the Aer Lingus Act 2004 left the way open for the Government to make the decision, it held off and public opinion has been softened up over the period since. As the Taoiseach's party continued to vacillate over the options to develop Dublin Airport, it found a way to play down the momentous decision to privatise Aer Lingus. The Dublin Airport terminal saga was played out as a battle royal between the Progressive Democrats Party and Fianna Fáil in Cabinet. This allowed Fianna Fáil to give the impression that in last week's Cabinet decision it had won out over its Progressive Democrats Party partners by deciding the second terminal would be built and owned by the Dublin Airport Authority.

The Progressive Democrats Party's daft and unworkable proposal was for a second terminal owned by private interests and competing with the neighbouring first terminal, which scenario aviation experts assure us is unknown anywhere in the world. We are expected to believe that because the Progressive Democrats Party did not get all it wanted at Dublin Airport, Fianna Fáil has won a great victory. In the minds of many, the Progressive Democrats Party has won because its privatisation ideology is now the ideology of Fianna Fáil. The Progressive Democrats Party has gained one of the prizes it has always wanted which is the privatisation of our national airline, Aer Lingus. Unfortunately, the sleight of hand of the Government parties has been facilitated by many in the media who have never questioned the economic dogma of the Progressive Democrats Party and Fianna Fáil.

We should be very clear that this decision is based on dogma. While those of us on the left who oppose privatisation are always accused of purely ideological motives, in this case the ideology is all on the side of the privatisers. No commercial case has been presented for the sale of the State's majority shareholding in Aer Lingus. While Aer Lingus will need investment, we do not know what funding it will require to develop its business or how much the Government sell-out will yield. The Government's previous claim that it cannot invest in Aer Lingus owing to EU rules has been completely discredited. Last week's disastrous Cabinet decision closes completely the option of State investment.

In his reply to the motion last night, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, failed to provide a convincing rebuttal of the argument that in the case of Aer Lingus "it ain't broken, so don't fix it". Aer Lingus is a State company which has been returned to record profitability since the crisis of 2001, largely owing to the sacrifices of the workforce, many members of which were laid off. The taxpayer has invested in the company over decades and the investment has been repaid handsomely. The benefits in tourism, business generally and the employment provided by Aer Lingus and the aviation industry are incalculable.

The Minister for Finance tried to have it both ways in his contribution. He recognised Aer Lingus as a strategic national asset on the basis of which he promoted the Government's retention of a minority shareholding. He staunchly defended privatisation knowing that once the sell-off happens, all bets are off. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, knows that too. Our most vital transport link to the rest of the world is to go from public ownership to the open market. We are told the Government will retain strategic shares, which interest the Minister, Deputy Cullen, has restated. While we are told the name of the company will be retained, no guarantees have been offered. Nobody on the Government benches has shared such details with the House. There will be nothing to stop multinational interests buying up the company and disposing of it as they please.

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