Shane Ross (Independent)

Can the Minister indicate the type of person he imagines will take Mr. Walsh's job? What qualities will a replacement possess that Mr. Walsh did not, and vice versa? If Mr. Walsh and his crew are fed up with the difficulties in the State sector because the Government is in the way, what kind of man or woman will take on this job? The frustrations felt by Mr. Walsh will be even greater when the Government takes the decision to remain in control and in the way. We will have a chairman who is politically appointed and politically acceptable and who will put through the measures which a political party wants. We will have a chief executive who also fits that bill. Everyone knows the next chief executive will be politically approved and will be acceptable not to the board, which is also politically appointed, but to the Taoiseach. He must have the philosophy which will tie in with the current philosophy of Fianna Fáil. As a result, the commercial mandate of Aer Lingus will be diluted.