Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

That Government sold off three quarters of Aer Lingus. The Deputy was a Senator at the time and an enthusiastic backer of that particular proposition. This is how the country ended up having a minority, but significant, stake in Aer Lingus, at 25.1%. Under the takeover rules, the Government must examine any offers. Mr. Walsh is coming before an Oireachtas committee this afternoon. I am sure people such as the Deputy will have some very detailed questions. Under the takeover rules, I cannot comment in detail. However, I can say that on previous occasions when the issue of the potential sale of this stake arose, along with employment in Aer Lingus and services to and from Dublin, Shannon and Cork, connections in and out of the country for Irish people, tourism and investment have been critical factors in any evaluation.

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