28 June 2001 Edition
Hands off Aer Lingus
Speaking in the Dáil last week in support of a motion opposing the privatisation of Aer Lingus, Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said the national airline should remain in state ownership. He said:
``I deplore the mismanagement of the national airline by this government and I oppose vehemently any proposal to privatise our airline in any way.
``It is a scandal that this government and indeed its predecessors could even contemplate opening the doors to the international corporate vultures who cannot wait to get their claws on this national asset. This is a strategic company, a company that has the loyalty of Irish people at home and abroad, a company built up by successive generations of Irish taxpayers into one of the flagships of the Irish economy and one of the most respected airlines in the world.
``The fire sale of Aer Lingus to the highest bidder which now seems to be on the government agenda is unacceptable; a privatisation by Initial Public Offering is equally unacceptable.
``The shambles of the Eircom privatisation and the questions arising in the Moriarty Tribunal about the ESAT digifone mobile phone license show where this Thatcherite agenda has led us. The ESAT franchise was sold by the government for the pathetic sum of £15 million and was sold on for £2 billion, making a personal fortune of around £250 million for Mr Denis O'Brien. No doubt others are lining up to make similar killings with the privatisation of the national airline. Is this how the government wishes to extinguish the proud name of Aer Lingus?
``And let it not be forgotten that successive governments have tied the hands of this democracy by agreeing to EU competition rules which prevent us from aiding Aer Lingus from state funds if we so decide. Stealing someone's property and selling it back to them is simple extortion - that is what the privatisation of Aer Lingus by public sale would amount to and it must be stopped.''
``I deplore the mismanagement of the national airline by this government and I oppose vehemently any proposal to privatise our airline in any way.
``It is a scandal that this government and indeed its predecessors could even contemplate opening the doors to the international corporate vultures who cannot wait to get their claws on this national asset. This is a strategic company, a company that has the loyalty of Irish people at home and abroad, a company built up by successive generations of Irish taxpayers into one of the flagships of the Irish economy and one of the most respected airlines in the world.
``The fire sale of Aer Lingus to the highest bidder which now seems to be on the government agenda is unacceptable; a privatisation by Initial Public Offering is equally unacceptable.
``The shambles of the Eircom privatisation and the questions arising in the Moriarty Tribunal about the ESAT digifone mobile phone license show where this Thatcherite agenda has led us. The ESAT franchise was sold by the government for the pathetic sum of £15 million and was sold on for £2 billion, making a personal fortune of around £250 million for Mr Denis O'Brien. No doubt others are lining up to make similar killings with the privatisation of the national airline. Is this how the government wishes to extinguish the proud name of Aer Lingus?
``And let it not be forgotten that successive governments have tied the hands of this democracy by agreeing to EU competition rules which prevent us from aiding Aer Lingus from state funds if we so decide. Stealing someone's property and selling it back to them is simple extortion - that is what the privatisation of Aer Lingus by public sale would amount to and it must be stopped.''