Aer Lingus and Ryanair: a risky game of monopoly

HISTORY repeating itself — the second time as farce.

First we had Telecom Éireann, a State monopoly privatised and transformed into a private monopoly, with the resulting shambles of a telephone service.

Now it emerges that Ryanair is on the verge of acquiring a majority shareholding in the recently-privatised Aer Lingus, creating the potential for a private monopoly of air travel within and out of Ireland.