Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I also highlighted the same part of the Minister of State's contribution. It is incredibly defeatist and will not be good news for the workers involved. This exposes the problem of over-reliance on the Government's strategy for multinational corporations. The problem is not the viability of the sector but that these operations do not fit in with the parent companies' plans. That is its essence. Pratt and Whitney Aviation International's Irish operation is a market leader, but it has decided, as part of a deal with Singapore Airlines, to cut off the Irish arm of the operation and allow some of the maintenance division to be developed over time in Singapore. That cannot be allowed to happen. This outfit has benefited enormously from its operation in Ireland and continues to do so. It is highly profitable and the order books are full. If it thinks it is divesting itself of this outfit, the State should step in and take it over as a going concern. The parent company does not want it, not because the work is not there but because it would then be in competition with the parent company's outfit. The other Deputies and I state it would be economic sabotage if these jobs were to go and we want the Government to go in and bat with both companies to state they are viable jobs, that the companies have got a lot out of Ireland and that it is about time they gave something back and stood by the workers. They cannot be allowed to exit.

Will the Minister of State deal with the issue of pensions in Lufthansa because there are slight differences between the two companies and workers in Lufthansa might be slightly more vulnerable than the others.

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