Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Yesterday, Ryanair launched a third bid to buy the remaining shares of Aer Lingus. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, obviously conscious of Deputy Keaveney breathing down his neck, has responded by saying he will consult his Government colleagues. The Minister said earlier this year or last year that the sale of the 25% share of Aer Lingus would only go ahead to the right buyer at the right price. We did not know whether that implicitly ruled out Ryanair. It seemed to at the time and in the context of the remarks.

The fundamental question is whether the Government has assessed the competition issues surrounding such a bid, the strategic considerations and the impact on consumers. On the first occasion in 2007, the European Commission undertook an in-depth investigation and assessment of the Ryanair bid for the remaining share of Aer Lingus. At that time it came to definitive conclusions that such a takeover would be very harmful to competition and would create a dominant position on 35 routes operated by both parties, leading to increased fares for 14 million European Union passengers. There is a strong competition issue here and I would like to hear the Government's position on that aspect of the takeover.

From a strategic perspective, as an island nation, connectivity is key to economic recovery, exports and tourism. The Taoiseach himself in 2007 was strong on the strategic assets the Heathrow slots represented for Dublin, Shannon and Cork. Most people identified the Aer Lingus shares and the Heathrow slots as being of significant strategic value. Will the Taoiseach indicate to the Dáil if it is the Government's plan to sell the remaining shares in Aer Lingus and the Government's position on the Ryanair bid?

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