If Aer Lingus is sold... watch the ESB, Coillte, Bord Gáis et al go the same way

THE Government is so desperate for cash it’s hard to see how it can reject Ryanair’s offer of €188 million for the state’s remaining shareholding in Aer Lingus, even if it is half the price it dismissed two years ago.

And once that’s done watch for the Government to start a process that may lead to the disposal of many other commercial assets, such as the ESB, Coillte, Bord na Móna, Bord Gais and the Dublin Airport Authority.

The Government might prefer, for all sorts of reasons, that someone other than Ryanair would come along with an offer to buy Aer Lingus. However, the chance would be a fine thing. While the airline industry is “consolidating” all over the world, the attractions of Aer Lingus are relatively limited, no matter how wonderful an airline we Irish like to think it is.