O'Rourke to press for more state aid for Aer Lingus

Public Enterprise Minister Mary O’Rourke is expected to seek permission to give more money to Aer Lingus at a meeting of European transport ministers in Brussels today.

The European Commission has allowed member states to compensate airlines for the four days when US airspace was closed following the attacks in September.

Ms O’Rourke wants this plan extended to eight or nine days, a move that is expected to be supported by Italy and France.