Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will reiterate what I said previously, which is that we have a minority shareholding. The Deputy is overemphasising the influence of a 25% shareholding, if she thinks that is a controlling influence on anything; it is not. That decision was made some years ago. We have to think of the strategic interests of the country, including connectivity, business, tourism and the future of the Aer Lingus brand, as well as jobs in Aer Lingus and our airports. That is the strategic decision that will fall to be made by the Government, assuming that IAG continues in the negotiations and improves on the situation which, as the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has indicated, was unsatisfactory some weeks ago.

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