Derek McDowell (Labour)

Sadly, this amendment demonstrates the regrettable ambivalence of Fine Gael on the whole issue. The party is effectively saying we can sell off Aer Lingus but should seek to maintain the slots at Heathrow Airport. That argument is not made in the real world. The major assets which, I suspect, any likely purchaser of Aer Lingus would want are the Heathrow Airport slots, which are very valuable.

To suggest that we can dictate to any private investor or private owner of Aer Lingus that it must observe minimum levels of service is not realistic. If we want to maintain "minimum levels of service", to use the wording of the amendment, between Ireland and elsewhere, we will have to retain total ownership of Aer Lingus, notwithstanding the ESOP. That is the reason, as the Minister of State will be aware, we opposed the Bill on Second Stage.