Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I thank the Minister and I am glad to have that clarification on the record. We also need the easyJet service in Ireland.

Aer Lingus is opening European routes on the basis of removing planes from UK routes. The company has a shortage of planes at present. Fleet replacement is crucially important and must happen. The pre-Christmas deadline is an important one and should be met.

Every time Aer Lingus has been in trouble or needed support it has received it. As president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions I spent many hours negotiating with trade unions and with Government on this issue. I have never seen a time when trade unions, in particular, have not been prepared to take difficult decisions. Credit should be given to trade union leaders who, with great difficulty, convinced their members to accept hard deals. As many as six deals were signed in the past 15 years whereby workers accepted cutbacks, flexible work practices and competitiveness and productivity measures.

I hope to see a bright future for Aer Lingus. The workers will give their total loyalty to the company, as they have always done. The three senior people who have walked away with six months' notice are not loyal to Aer Lingus. They were committed to creating a success, which is somewhat different from creating a success in Aer Lingus. They have not shown their commitment to the airline. They could not have walked away if they had put so much into it and cared so much for it.