I wish to ask the Taoiseach about the IAG offer to purchase Aer Lingus, the Government's attitude to that offer and also its policy and strategy with regard to the future of Aer Lingus, which is an issue of fundamental concern to many people throughout the country and to anyone with an interest in Ireland's economic development. There is a concern about the country's connectivity to the wider world and in particular the very valuable Heathrow slots which Aer Lingus has. There is a concern that if such a sale were to go ahead, the very valuable international global connectivity might ultimately be fatally undermined.

There are also very serious concerns about the employment implications of such a sale. Going on previous experience, up to 1,200 jobs could be lost in Aer Lingus if the sale were to go ahead. This is a matter of concern not just for the trade unions but also for the families and workers in Aer Lingus. There is also a concern about the wider knock-on effect on the domestic economy.

There are implications for regional policy. I refer to the impact that such a sale would have on Cork, Shannon and Knock airports. Shannon Airport has three flights a day to London and Cork Airport has four daily flights to London. These connections are of some significance to those airports and, more critically, to the hinterland and the regions supported by the airports in terms of tourism, in economic terms and in support of foreign direct investment. There is a need for multinational companies and Irish small and medium enterprises to have that kind of connectivity and access to Heathrow via the regional airports.

The Dublin-London route is the third busiest in the world and the busiest in Europe. This route has grown significantly and is of some considerable importance. Some time ago the Government formed a subgroup which included the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform and NewERA.

We heard a lot about NewERA during the Irish Water debacle. The job of this group, under the chairmanship of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, was to examine the disposal of State assets and this particular issue. I understand the Minister stated economic, legal and strategic aviation advisers have been appointed. Has the Government made a decision on the offer? Has the Minister recommended that the Government sell its 25% stake or has he recommended against the sale of the 25% stake? The Government should reject the offer and should strategically hold on to the 25% shareholding. Will the Taoiseach outline to the House who are the advisers appointed by the Government? This should be public knowledge. I have not picked up this information and perhaps the Taoiseach will announce it. What decision has the Government made and what recommendation did the Minister make to the Cabinet this morning?

The answer to both of the Deputy's questions is "No"; the Government has not made a decision on the question of a bid by IAG for Aer Lingus, and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport did not make a recommendation to the Cabinet in respect of the offer being considered. The Deputy outlined a number of important elements which concern our country in this regard. The Government is the guardian of the public interest and it must take into account much wider considerations than just the potential value or the amount that might be realised by the sale of the shares owned by the Government. As Deputy Martin pointed out, there are considerations in respect of regionalisation, connectivity, employment and access to and exit from the country. We are an island.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport briefed the Cabinet this morning. He has established an interdepartmental group. The names of the advisers will be announced tomorrow when the tenders have been finalised and allocated. The Minister will make this announcement. The interdepartmental group covers the Departments mentioned by Deputy Martin. The answer to both of the Deputy's questions is "No".

The Minister did not brief the Cabinet with a recommendation. The discussions taking place will continue for some time. The offer is not yet formal and Aer Lingus is now in a period of reflection on an offer. Everybody understands the importance of this to our country, our economy and our people in terms of access, connectivity and regional implications beyond the valuation to be put on the airline in this regard. All of these matters must be considered very carefully and comprehensively by the Government. This is a matter of great interest, but the Government is only one component of the make-up of Aer Lingus. It is only one component because Deputy Martin's party privatised Aer Lingus more than ten years ago.

Take it back. Ring Willie Walsh.

The Taoiseach is throwing in the towel before he starts. Typical.

It was a matter of exceptional public interest then, as is the situation now.

Since then a significant change took place to the benefit of the airline, as it turned around from being in a perilous position to being a very successful airline which has added significantly to our connectivity and to overall economic performance. The Taoiseach stated the Minister made no recommendation and that the Government has made no decision. Clearly the Government is not ruling out a sale to IAG. This is a fair conclusion to be drawn from the Taoiseach's remarks. Is he not persuaded by the strategic considerations, in particular the destiny and future of the Heathrow slots? Does he accept one cannot in any realistic way ring fence the slots if a sale goes ahead? Will he confirm the Government is actively considering a sale given the answer he has just provided? Otherwise it would have been ruled out at this stage.

This morning, I read in the Irish Independent that the Minister had appointed the advisers. I take it from what the Taoiseach stated the Minister has not appointed advisers in recent days. Will the Taoiseach clarify this?

It will be announced tomorrow by the Minister. As I said, the tender process-----

What is the veracity of the statements in today's newspapers to the effect he has appointed them?

I ask Deputy Martin to conclude please.

I take it no advisers have been appointed.

I am telling the Deputy the Minister will announce it tomorrow when the tender process is completed.

Is it fair to say no advisers have been appointed up to today?

As the Deputy knows, the interdepartmental group was appointed by the Minister some time ago. The advisers to the Government will be announced tomorrow by the Minister.

I ask Deputy Martin to conclude his question.

The process is not completed. The Minister will make the announcement tomorrow.

Why is the Minister already on record as saying the advisers have been appointed?

The process of the tenders for the appointment of the advisers-----

It is in black and white.

-----is not completed.

This is a very important point. It was announced today that they have been appointed. The Minister announced to the media they were appointed. Now the Taoiseach is stating the tendering is not complete and will not be until tomorrow. Either they have been appointed or they have not.

They have not been appointed.

So what was said today was wrong. Obviously the Taoiseach wanted me to give way to allow him to interject, which I very agreeably did.

This is a questions and answers session. On a point of order-----

The new Taoiseach is on his feet.

When is the noise nuisance Bill coming in?

The Deputy knows there are no points of order during Leaders' Questions except from the leaders. I ask Deputy Martin to conclude.

Will the Taoiseach confirm a sale has not been ruled out by the Government and that it is actively considering the sale of the 25% share?

As I said to the Deputy, Aer Lingus is now in a period of offer. This morning, the board of Aer Lingus issued a statement which briefly referenced IAG's intentions regarding the future of the company and indicated Aer Lingus would operate as a separate business with its own brand, management and operations, and would continue to provide connectivity to Ireland while benefiting from the scale of being part of a larger IAG group. The Minister briefed the Cabinet on the up-to-date situation. The Aer Lingus is now in an offer period. The working group appointed by the Minister will engage with IAG in the coming days to consider all of the implications of the offer being made. I must be very careful about what I say. This is the position. Aer Lingus is now in an offer period. The appointed persons arising from the tenders will be announced tomorrow by the Minister. The Government, as the guardian of the public interest, must take into account the wider implications of any such offer, taking into account the issues of conductivity, regionalisation, employment and workers and their rights and the implications contained in the offer from IAG. The working group, together with those who will be appointed tomorrow, will engage with IAG, and the Government will consider this very carefully, very thoroughly and very competitively as is its duty being the guardian of the public interest.

Concerns about the potential sell-off of Aer Lingus will not have been assuaged by the Taoiseach's answer. My concern is the Government will follow the example of Fianna Fáil on this issue, as it has on so many other issues. When Fianna Fáil privatised Aer Lingus, Sinn Féin opposed it tooth and nail, and an Teachta Martin was a very prominent member of the Government at the time. The Taoiseach acknowledged that direct air services, air route conductivity and other elements are vital for investment, tourism and business on this island. Tens of thousands of jobs throughout the island rely on global air connections.

Let us be very clear. The recommendation from the board that the airline be sold to IAG cannot go ahead without the Government's approval and the Taoiseach should not approve this sell-off. A likely outcome could well be major job losses and the end of important air connections, including the strategically important Heathrow slots. It is also reported, and the Taoiseach might be able to comment on this, that senior executives at Aer Lingus would earn more than €30 million from their bonus share schemes if a sell-off proceeds. If that is true, the Government is facing a choice of either rewarding wealthy businessmen at the expense of Irish citizens or defending Irish national interests.

I repeat that this sell-off cannot go ahead unless the Taoiseach agrees to it, and he has the authority and the responsibility to block it and build upon and expand the work that has been done in Aer Lingus. Will he take this opportunity? I ask him to revise his earlier answer and assure citizens, airline workers and business people across this State and the island of Ireland that he will not support the sell-off of a company which is of such hugely important strategic significance.

I have already answered Deputy Martin in this regard. The Government has a duty of care to consider carefully all the indicators that might be contained in this particular offer, which is the third offer. Our Government must also take into account services and connections via Heathrow, competition in the air transport market, jobs in the Irish aviation sector, the Aer Lingus brand, the question of the impact on the economies of the region and so on but, as I said to the Deputy and to Deputy Martin, the board of Aer Lingus has met and it has issued a statement to the effect that it is willing to consider the offer being made by IAG. The working party, the interdepartmental group set up by the Minister and the personnel to be appointed by tender will engage with IAG over the coming days and weeks.

Given the rules that apply to the stock market, I am not in a position because of those rules to say anything, but we take into account very carefully all the issues that apply here, and all the issues are relevant to the Government and its job in being the guardian of the public interest in this case. That is the process that is ahead and, as I said, the Government will pay great attention and give comprehensive consideration to all the issues that arise from the offer being made. The Deputy is right in that if a decision were to be made in this regard in any way, it would have to have the approval of Dáil Éireann. These matters will be given very careful consideration both by the Minister in weighing up all the issues involved and taking into account the shareholding responsibility of the Ministry for Finance. The Government will weigh up all those options, taking those issues very seriously into account, particularly connectivity, workers' employment, regional impact and the future for our country in respect of this particular matter.

The Taoiseach says he is prevented from giving a clear answer on this issue because of the rules of the stock market. I do not want to interrupt the Minister for Health.

Gabh mo leithscéal.

The Taoiseach said that he is prevented from giving a clear answer because of the rules of the stock market, but he does not have a mandate from the stock market, he has a mandate from the people of this State. He also said that a decision on this cannot be passed unless the Dáil supports it, but the Government has a thumping majority in the Dáil and can do whatever it wants in this Chamber. What about the workers? IAG would not be seeking to buy this company unless it was profitable and it is profitable not least because of the efforts of the workforce. The Government needs to be loyal to the workforce. It needs to stand by the workers. There is a clear need at this time of recovery to ensure that it is a balanced recovery, not a two-tier recovery, and that the current employment levels at Aer Lingus are maintained, expanded and built upon. This is hugely important for the local economies of the regions involved. There are 3,900 citizens employed by Aer Lingus and there are huge fears that there would be a negative effect for those in Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports.

Thank you, Deputy.

Críochnóidh mé anois. It is also believed that if IAG were to take over, most of the senior decision-making posts, the executive posts, would be transferred to London. The State, through its stake in Aer Lingus, has the potential and the duty to be an advocate for its sustainable development in the interests of its customers, its workers and the island as a whole. IAG does not have those same interests. Like any other private multinational conglomerate, its objective will be to get the maximum profit from its share. I invite the Taoiseach once again to put Irish interests first and commit clearly now to opposing any sell-off of Aer Lingus. I remind him of what I said in my opening sentence, namely, that he does not have a mandate from the stock market, he has a mandate from the people of this State.

I agree with Deputy in respect of his first sentence.

That is a new one.

We do not have a mandate from the stock market but we do have a mandate from the people, and that mandate is to take into account the future of the people, their recovery in terms of our standard of living, our economy and what that means. The Government is obliged by virtue of that mandate to take into account all the issues that arise-----

It is wearing down. It is a thin line now.

-----following the offer made by IAG to the board of Aer Lingus.

I am interested in Deputy Adams's comment about the workers. I have already made this a fundamental issue in terms of the workers with regard to regionalisation, connectivity and what it means.

I think I heard the Deputy say yesterday evening that he did not want any change in the status of AIB, which would mean that he does not want moneys back for the taxpayer when they put it in there.

We want our debt paid.

The Deputy indicated that he does not want anything to do with direct recapitalisation, which is the same thing.

The Taoiseach has never applied for it.

When will the Taoiseach apply for it?

You were never really good at maths.

The Taoiseach is running out of time.

Let a few months pass and he will apply for it.

Deputy Adams does not want anything to do with the European Union and yet he is concerned about workers. In effect, what he was saying with his economic theories of last night is very different from his economic theories of today-----

Wait for the Greeks to do it.

-----and that will not stay the course.

We will see.

I agree with the Deputy that this Government was given a mandate by the people-----

Tell that to the people who flew out on Aer Lingus and have never come back.

-----and that mandate is to take into full consideration all the implications-----

Tell that to the people you forced out of this country, some half a million people.

-----way beyond the question of €300 million or anything else. It has to do with the future of our country and its economy, with the future of our people-----

Dismiss it then.

-----and taking into account all the implications arising from the offer made by IAG in respect of the board of Aer Lingus.

Terry Prone wrote that speech.

The Government will very carefully consider that and the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, will brief the Cabinet, as appropriate, and as I said to Deputy Martin, the names of the personnel to be appointed will be announced tomorrow following the tender process being completed later this evening.

It belongs to the people and not to the Taoiseach or any Government.

I call Deputy Coppinger on behalf of the Technical Group.