Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are not hiding the fact that we sold it, but we kept 25% because we did not want this day to happen where it would be gone and all of the commitments given in that deal would become worthless. Deputy Martin spoke this morning about the papers that are there for the Taoiseach to see if he took an interest in the agreements. While we sold it, Labour in particular made commitments around the country on the northside of Dublin and down in Clare and Cork to protect Aer Lingus and would not let this happen. The Labour Party made a big scene in Killarney in February when it sat on a Sunday and said "No deal, no deal". Suddenly and out of nowhere comes this and it is rammed through before the Government goes home for the weekend. The ultimate irony of this is that one of the commitments the Labour Party apparently secured is a registered employment agreement as part of the Aer Lingus deal, but the legislation to underpin REAs, which was due to be discussed tomorrow, has been taken off the Dáil schedule to allow this charade of a debate to continue. The underpinning for an REA which is part of a deal we are supposed to vote on tomorrow is not in place because of the manner in which the Government has introduced this discussion.

I have no doubt about the Minister's good intentions in this. I acknowledge the work he has put in. However, that counts for nothing. The Minister knows that as he is used to big business. In ten years' time, they will be exposed as counting for nothing because IAG is a publicly quoted company with an eye on the bottom line. The Minister, Deputy Howlin, was right in one thing he said which was that the airline business is massively floating. It comes up and it comes down and is the first sector to respond in a negative way to a fall in the economy. That will happen. There will be a decline in the economic growth that is currently taking place and the first thing to suffer will be Aer Lingus. The brand may not suffer, but the services will. While the Minister has the elephant in the room that is the Nyras report, he cannot expect the Dáil, in particular if he believes in the primacy of the Chamber and its ability to ask questions, to approve the deal without responding to it and its recommendations.

There are so many issues we are not getting a chance to look at and tie down. Various Ministers have spoken about the employment potential while ignoring Nyras and the redundancies that will now happen at Dublin Airport.

They are ignoring the fact that seven planes are on order for Aer Lingus at the moment, which will result in about 500 jobs for crew, regardless of whether this deal goes ahead. They are ignoring the fact that Aer Lingus has built up a very good business in the transit of regional passengers from across the UK through Dublin on transatlantic flights, because of the ability to get pre-clearance and so forth. They are ignoring the fact that could grow, if work was put into it, and that in itself would produce additional employment, without any IAG takeover. They are ignoring the fact that Aer Lingus has record cash reserves and has out-performed many of the components of IAG by being an independent stand-alone airline. In an analysis of independent airlines, many of the airlines that come within the IAG portfolio have underperformed.

There has been a lot of talk about regional connectivity. I will let Deputy Niall Collins speak for the people of Shannon, although they are well able to speak for themselves. We have one connection out of Ireland West Airport Knock to Gatwick. I know that connection will continue, because the airport is a commercial airport. It has to survive commercial realities, but it is a good commercial service and will continue. We do not have the fear of the State-run airports, which are running out to welcome this deal with huge haste. I know the airport will continue due to demand for its service and, perhaps, price reductions, as the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, has already outlined.

The Minister is ten months in office. I respectfully point out to him that he still has to visit personally Ireland West Airport Knock. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, keeps a good eye on it for him-----

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