Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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Question 15: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will ensure that Aer Lingus will call an EGM of the board of Aer Lingus to reverse its decision to abandon the Shannon-Heathrow connection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24333/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The legal advice available to the Government is that shareholders do not have the power to over-rule management decisions on business matters. Even if the Government on its own or in conjunction with other shareholders called an EGM and voted for the restoration of the Shannon Heathrow service, the directors of Aer Lingus would not be obliged to follow any direction from its shareholders. The management of Aer Lingus has made it very clear that they are not minded to reverse their decision.