Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

As I said to the Deputy, the appointment of directors will be made in the near future. As I have told him previously, the question of whether the directors had been appointed would not have affected this decision. On the question of what further steps can be taken, that is the only one we can take. Some people seem to have great difficulty getting into their heads the fact that Aer Lingus is a private company, not a semi-State company controlled by the Government or the Department of Transport. It is what it is. The decision has been made and we are satisfied that the alteration to the articles of association to protect the Heathrow slots from disposal are robust. However, we cannot go any further than that.

See this speech in context