Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach is correct when he says that is the law, but his Government and 11 others have written to the European Commission calling for the law to be changed. I find it hard to believe that the Taoiseach is not aware that is the position of his Government.

The second more general question concerns the future of airlines because they are, in a sense, the banks of this crisis. IAG is cutting one-third of its jobs in British Airways. It is, unfortunately, likely to move to do the same in Aer Lingus. Is it not time to accept that the privatisation of Aer Lingus has been a failure, resulting in job losses and wage cuts and putting regional airports at risk? We are now paying the wages for Aer Lingus in any case.

Instead of bailing out private, big, polluting industries, is it not time to renationalise Aer Lingus under the democratic control of the workers and in that way plan for sustainable transport networks, with a significant reduction in airline travel?

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