Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I must correct what I said. People have an affection for the airline and they regard it as part of Irish culture. I accept that when the outcome of the Ryanair case is handed down by the EU Commission, it will have a major impact. There is a value to the State in having a stake in the airline as it is returning dividends, but it has more than a financial value. The question is how we feel about Aer Lingus and its value to the country.

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