In a strategic review undertaken in 1999 for the Minister's predecessor, the board of Aer Rianta considered that the Great Southern Hotels Group, while operating successfully, is non-core to Aer Rianta's airport management operations. The board recommended that it should exit from this business and use the proceeds from the sale towards financing capital expenditure programmes at the State airports. A subsequent report, prepared by Warburg Dillon Read and AIB Capital Markets for the former Minister, agreed with the view of the Aer Rianta board on this matter.