AIB Corporate Finance, run by John O'Donnell, appears to be the flavour of the month among Government Ministers. Already one of the Government advisers for the Telecom flotation and the formation of Digital TV company, Digico, it was announced this week that it was being given the contract to examine, along with Merrill Lynch, the future of Coillte, the state forestry company. AIB is also advising the Government on what it should do with Aer Rianta and whether to accept the company's view that it should head for the stockmarket. The appointment of Ray Gray from AIB Corporate Finance as new head of finance at Aer Rianta is a further sign of the management of the company gearing up for the market. Mary O'Rourke may protest that there is no line-up of state firms awaiting flotation, but if the Telecom float goes well it would be a brave person that would bet against Aer Lingus and Aer Rianta following suit over the next couple of years.