Aer Lingus anniversary overshadowed as political row threatens to take off

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday tried to distance himself from controversial comments he made about a former Aer Lingus chief, in which he accused him of trying to steal the national airline’s assets.

Speaking in advance of the 70th anniversary of Aer Lingus, Mr Ahern said he regretted his use of the term “steal” which he had used to describe a proposed management buyout of Aer Lingus in the Dáil on Wednesday.

“I didn’t mean steal in that context, it’s as if Willie Walsh (Aer Lingus former chief executive) and I were at some war, we’re not,” he said.