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Donohoe insists Aer Lingus sale is best result for everyone

The Transport Minister has again insisted the takeover by IAG of Aer Lingus is the best result fo...
Newstalk
Newstalk

06.47 28 May 2015


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Donohoe insists Aer Lingus sal...

Donohoe insists Aer Lingus sale is best result for everyone

Newstalk
Newstalk

06.47 28 May 2015


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The Transport Minister has again insisted the takeover by IAG of Aer Lingus is the best result for everybody.

Minister Paschal Donohoe says the Government has secured a good “comprehensive agreements that build on guarantees that are already there, or put in new guarantees that are not in place at the moment.

“Alongside that IAG have given commitments, and Aer Lingus have backed them up, in terms of how they are going to manage growth in the future in terms of new routes (and) new jobs for all of our key airports,” he added.

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The Dáil today voted to approve the sale of the government's remaining stake in Aer Lingus.

TDs voted 74 to 51 in favour of the sale to IAG, in a deal worth €335m.

Labour TD for Clare, Michael McNamara, was the only government TD to vote against it, and is expelled from the parliamentary party as a result.

Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe insists he did everything to try and persuade deputy McNamara of the merits of the deal.

“I did all I can last night and again in a meeting that my officials attended today, to assuage and the concerns that Deputy McNamara has (and) to answer his questions," he said.

"I regret that the answers and information that we gave wasn’t sufficient, but I recognise the genuine way in which Deputy McNamara looked to address the manner," he added.

Speaking to Ciara McDonagh on Newstalk Lunchtime today, he stated: "My primary concern at this stage is surrounding connectivity...and making sure tourists and business interests are able to get into the West of Ireland."

"Connectivity and more broadly, protection of slots." 

On whether he thought if anyone else would vote against the deal from Labour, Mr McNamara said: "I'm not speaking on behalf of anyone else but I think the primary concern of most of my colleagues was soley with regard to the workers and assurances."

You can listen to the full interview here:

However a Labour Party colleague of Deputy McNamara dismissed his concerns over the sale of the airline.

Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash, says he has been given a number of assurances on jobs.

IAG are promising there will be 635 net new positions if the proposed deal goes ahead.

Mr Nash says this deal is in the best interest of the Shannon region.

As the result was announced, Sinn Féin's Dessie Ellis called for a second vote saying Government deputies needed to once again think about their vote.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin earlier said the vote should not go ahead without full discussion of an internal Aer Lingus report, which could see jobs on the line.

Earlier, SIPTU members at the airline said management had agreed to establish a Registered Employment Agreement (REA) - which will commit it not to pursue outsourcing and compulsory redundancies.

SIPTU divisional organiser, Owen Reidy, said the commitment must be confirmed before any sale of the company.


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