John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)

I wish to share time with Deputies Deenihan, McCormack and Reilly. Watching the performance of backbench Fianna Fáil Deputies I can only marvel at the ability to talk in any direction without appearing to move or turn. Now they are showing us they can act as well. This year's Oscar in the category of outstanding individual performance in comedy drama must go to Fianna Fáil backbenchers in the role of Opposition spokespersons for the west of Ireland. There was strong competition from ministerial colleagues, most notably the Minister for Defence, Deputy O'Dea. He gave a most convincing performance, which, in normal circumstances, would have made him immediately eligible for back bench status.

Today is the Oscar presentation ceremony. Who will walk to the podium to collect an award? Looking across the floor, I am reminded of the comment of the former Member, Joe Higgins, who returned home in November to find his wardrobe had been visited and his best socialist suits had been borrowed. During the past month I had a feeling of déjÀ vu, thinking that many backbenchers had come visiting to try on the Opposition wardrobe. Our reinvigorated Fine Gael party will ensure that next time the Opposition suit will fit them. We now see the true character of Fianna Fáil politicians who talk the loudest. They talk the talk, now we will see if they walk the walk or even sit out the talk. As I look across there are not many sitting out the talk.

Removing the air services to Heathrow is a damaging blow to Shannon Airport. It is also a powerful symbolic action, with serious implications for people living in the western region. Aer Lingus management should not be blamed for the transfer of the Heathrow slots to Belfast. When a company makes a major strategic decision about its future there can be little room for sentiment. No successful company makes a major strategic decision based on sentimental attachment to the past. Commercial success is concerned with the future and rigorous assessment of the present.

The privatisation of Aer Lingus is a perfect example of what happens when sentiment is taken into commercial decision making. The Government decision to privatise Aer Lingus was largely doctrinaire and when sentimental politics got in the way, the key issue of ownership was fudged. This left us with the fiasco facing us today. This seemed like a good idea to the Government because it could have significant shareholder authority without political responsibility. Like other cunning schemes, it has come unstuck. The Government has a mishmash of little authority and evasion of actual responsibility in that the transfer of the Heathrow slots from Shannon to Belfast is a direct commercial consequence of earlier Government decisions.

The Government has an unavoidable responsibility to address the present situation. To avoid further divergence between the economic conditions of the east and west I urge it to immediately launch a major review of regional development policy.

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