Aer Lingus workers stage Dáil protest over Ryanair bid

SIPTU workers at Aer Lingus are staging a protest outside the Dáil this morning to highlight their opposition to Ryanair's takeover bid.

The union has come out strongly against the move, which it says would be bad for workers, passengers and the country in general.

It has also called on the Government to buy back shares in the national carrier in order to block Ryanair's bid.

Yesterday, businessman Denis O'Brien announced that he had bought up 2.1% of Aer Lingus shares for €32m in a move to prevent the takeover.

He said he was making the move in support of the airline's staff and management and because he believed in competition.

Speaking at today's protest, SIPTU spokesman Christy McQuillan accused the Government of misleading people about the Aer Lingus privatisation.

"They could have always invested in Aer Lingus," he said.

"They tried to tell the public for months that they were prohibited from investing in Aer Lingus under EU rules. That was a lie.

"It's time they came clean with the travelling public and with the workers in Aer Lingus who turned the company around."