Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There are huge concerns not just among the public but in various representative groups about any potential sale of Aer Lingus. Those concerns were expressed at the recent meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications by unions, employers' bodies, Enterprise Ireland, representatives of tourism and other groups. Within our economy tourism numbers have been greatly increasing. From what we can gather, €300 million is what the State would benefit as a result of a sale to IAG. Does the Minister think selling off our Heathrow slots, which are vital to the Irish economy, is worth €300 million?

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