Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

Dr. Somers said the NTMA can raise up to €5 billion and that this money could, in theory, be invested. He said that is a policy issue and not a decision for him to make. He said that simply put, while it is technically possible it is not his call. It is the Government's call. The Government could make the call. A combination of borrowing in this way and leasing is entirely possible to kit out the national airline with all the aeroplanes it needs in the future.

Is it because the Taoiseach does not have any confidence in the future of Aer Lingus that he is not prepared to do this or is it that he is hamstrung by the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats ideology? How does the Taoiseach explain what happened to the other industries he privatised? Is he not ashamed of what has happened to B&I, Irish Sugar and Eircom? Does he not realise it is inevitable that if he privatises Aer Lingus, it will finish up in the hands of the same sharks that moved in, with dreadful consequences for workers and for this State, to take control? Does the Taoiseach want his contribution to Irish history to be that of a facilitator for the asset stripping of the national airline?

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