Council victories on Aer Lingus

Sinn Féin councillors in Dublin succeeded in building a cross-party coalition to oppose the proposed sale of Aer Lingus at Dublin City and South Dublin Council meetings on Monday evening.

A hat-trick was only prevented when Fingal County Council ruled a motion from local Sinn Féin Councillor Felix Gallagher out of order on the basis that the proposed sale of Aer Lingus was not an 'emergency' in the local authority that contains Dublin Airport.

Councillors from Labour, the Greens and Fine Gael, along with Independents swept away opposition from Fianna Fáil and PD representatives across Dublin as Sinn Féin councillors followed up on the work of the party's TDs, who had put a similar motion to Leinster House less than three weeks ago.

In Dublin City, a delegation of high-ranking SIPTU Aer Lingus officials, there at the invitation of the Sinn Féin Group, watched as the sale of the airline was opposed. The delegation followed a meeting with SIPTU last Friday attended on behalf of Sinn Féin by Mary Lou McDonald MEP, Seán Crowe TD and Councillors Daithí Doolan and Larry O'Toole.

Speaking after the motion was passed, Cllr O'Toole said: "The verdict of the elected representatives of the people of Dublin is an absolute rejection of the short-sighted economic thinking the Coalition Government has adopted in its proposal to sell off a vital strategic asset.

"I am delighted that the other parties rallied around the workers and users of Aer Lingus and put political differences aside to take a principled stand of support for public ownership of the national airline."

Cllr Mark Daly, Sinn Féin Group Leader on South Dublin County Council was equally delighted. "This was a great result for the workers of Aer Lingus and made it clear to the Government where the people of Dublin stand in protecting a company that is not just economically vital on a national basis, but has made an enormous contribution to Dublin," declared Daly.

"I am hoping that our successes here will be replicated across the State and that other local authorities, in particular in Cork and Shannon, will join us in maximising the pressure on the Dublin Government to reverse course before they irreparably damage the people's airline."