Aer Lingus sale deal: Hard to dispel fears of workers

FOLLOWING two days of sterile debate, nobody should be surprised when the Dáil votes today to sell off the Government’s 25% stake in Aer Lingus to the British airline investment group IAG. Sterile because this crucial debate began nearly nine years ago when the other 75%was sold by the previous Fianna Fáil administration in October 2006.

Perhaps that’s why yesterday’s wrangling over the brief time allowed to discuss this major issue was so bitter.

Yet, it has to be said Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin had a fair point when he accused the Taoiseach of treating the Dáil with contempt.