Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Before I begin I wish to echo the words of Deputy McGrath about the deferred pensioners because this is not a footnote. It is one of the tenets of those of us who support, on the whole, the idea of a free market that it creates more wealth, and some of that wealth must be spent to defend the weak. It is a very serious point. A large amount of money will come into the Government's coffers as a result of this sale; I believe the figure is between €333 million and €400 million. It is not unthinkable and is only justice that the Minister would say that some of that money should go to support those who are the weak now but who were strong in Aer Lingus not very long ago. It is unthinkable that in the midst of these riches being distributed to the Government we should just say, "No. Those who have been impoverished by what has happened to Aer Lingus in recent times, and the pension fund, should be neglected and thrown on the rubbish heap." The Minister has got the money. He says he will spend it wisely on infrastructure, broadband and items like that but some of it, and I understand it is €40 million or €50 million, could be spared. I ask the Minister in all sincerity to consider this and give those people who have been weakened by the procedures in Aer Lingus over such a long period their rights and a happy and secure old age. That is all we ask.

The Taoiseach answered in a derisory way. He did not answer the arguments but said the Minister had spent a lot of time on it and to let it go. His speech today was equally disappointing. What he really said was that the shamrock was being replaced by the fig leaf. His arguments were very weak and particularly feeble. He said that we should not worry, the headquarters would remain in Dublin. It is a meaningless, token gesture. One could have a headquarters with two men and a dog and we can be sure that is what we will have eventually. He said it would be registered in Dublin. That is laughable. One can have a brass plate and be registered in Dublin, as thousands of investment funds are. It is meaningless.

The Taoiseach also said we must have more routes to service the multinationals. If they come, the multinationals will be serviced by the market which will move in to service them as sure as night follows day. We are not going to create aircraft to bring in multinationals. The multinationals, when they declare their interest in coming, will immediately create a demand which will be filled by Aer Lingus, as now happens, or other airlines. We do not need IAG to service the multinationals. It will happen naturally by way of organic growth.

The arguments about the slots make me wonder. I take on board the Minister's point. He has won a concession, on which I congratulate him. However, in seven years time the neat distinction between the sale and usage will be made. While we will have a veto on the sale, if IAG or some other foreign multinational decides what they are used for, there will not be much point in having the rights that go with the sale. The slots will be used as IAG thinks fit, not as we think fit. The Minister received a concession on the sale but only for seven years.

One of the great selling points of the sale is Mr. Willie Walsh, a magnificent Irishman, of whom everybody is proud. The fact that he, an Irishman whose interests are perceived to lie with Aer Lingus and who was here before, is involved is meant to provide some assurance and seen as an underlying and unwritten little perk, but he will not be there forever. He may not be there in seven years time.

The promises of jobs are phantoms. Let the Minister not tell me that after the takeover has been completed, in four to six months time, if IAG decides the projects which will create the jobs are no longer relevant and profitable, it will go ahead and undertake them. IAG will not enter into a non-commercial venture to fulfil some clause in the agreement. It will break the agreement. That is what rich, capitalist multinationals do, rightly or wrongly. The Government will be powerless to do anything about it, except to take IAG to the European Court which will take 25 years, by which time it will be a forgotten cause. I do not believe the Minister has won a significant deal. I heard him this morning and he interviews very well. However, he could not answer the question on what would happens if IAG was sold. I do not know the answer. However, anybody coming from further afield or some larger group will seek and find a way to break the agreement or abolish and abandon the clauses the Minister anticipates today.

I do not understand what is happening. Some presumption is creeping into the lexicon of Fine Gael that biggest is best, that small companies cannot make money and that there are no niche markets. Aer Lingus is doing extraordinarily well and the heavy lifting has been done. It is an efficient and profitable company. It does not aim to fly aircraft from Caracas to Rio de Janeiro or to be a multinational, even on the scale of Ryanair. Its job is to be profitable and ensure people and cargo can be flown into and out of Ireland. Since its great downfall approximately a decade ago, it has managed to succeed in doing this magnificently successfully as a small company, with cash in its coffers, profits and people still gainfully employed. To suggest this is the time to hand it over to a multinational is extraordinary.

Multinationals get a good deal. Has the Minister investigated whether this multinational will get up to the same tricks as all of the others and transfer money out in bogus, strange administration charges to get all of the profits out of Ireland and avoid paying tax here? Has the Minister received an assurance in this regard?

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