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

It is widely reported that IAG has offered to secure these slots for five years. That is not worth the paper on which it is written. In the past we have seen how companies come and go and how they change over time. In a previous takeover in England it was agreed that a position regarding slots would last for three to five years.

Then, the regulator moved in and said a certain number of slots had to be shed as a result. That is the problem facing us.

We have an airline that is profitable and is making money for the State. It is making money for the tourism industry and across-the-board we are seeing huge increases in tourist numbers. The airline has a modern fleet and it is working well. There are major grounds for expansion. The takeover bid seems to be about the Heathrow slots and their use. We need to protect them to protect our industry and tourism. There are 23 slots in question and the loss of any of them will have major repercussions for connectivity across the country. This applies not just to Dublin but to connectivity in Cork and Shannon. The regional balance we try to keep will not be kept by the likes of IAG.

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