Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I am amazed at the Minister's brass neck. If he had worked out this privatisation on the e-voting machines he bought, he would not have made such a hames of it. Why did he reduce the Government's stakeholding in Aer Lingus? What strategy is the Government now pursuing? Has it had discussions with the ESOT or others about preventing the proposed arrangement? Will Ryanair not in any event have manoeuvred itself into a position in which it can stymie the future development of Aer Lingus? What will this development do for competition in the aviation sector? I would appreciate answers to these questions because this issue is very important for the country.

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