LIBERTAS:LIBERTAS LEADER Declan Ganley has called on the Taoiseach to confirm that the Government will not be doing any "grubby Lisbon deals" by selling Aer Lingus to Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary.
Mr Ganley said that comments by the airline chief at the weekend raised “very serious questions” ahead of Friday’s referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
The Government has twice refused to sell Aer Lingus to Ryanair, but speaking in Dublin yesterday Mr Ganley said: “I think it’s very important that the Taoiseach confirms that in the wake of this referendum one way or another that won’t be happening”.
He quoted comments by Mr O’Leary on TV3’s Business Matters programme with Ivan Yates: “Look at my campaign for a Yes vote. One of the reasons I am campaigning for a Yes vote is that our Government is incompetent and yet I need to persuade them to sell me Aer Lingus.”
The Libertas leader said: “We know our Government will say anything to get a Yes. Now it appears they will sell anything to get a Yes as well.”
He added that the Taoiseach needed to confirm that “there are no under the table or behind closed doors deals that have been done to get people to fund and call for a Yes vote”. In a statement issued yesterday evening, Mr O’Leary said: “Ryanair has repeatedly confirmed, including at last week’s AGM, that it is ‘highly unlikely’ to make a third bid for Aer Lingus”.
He said he had “not met, or spoken with Brian Cowen or any other Government Minister about Ryanair’s campaign for a ‘Yes to Europe’ Vote on Friday”.
Mr O’Leary added: “This Government and its pals – the trade union bosses – have already refused two Ryanair offers for Aer Lingus. One of the reasons that Ryanair is campaigning for a ‘Yes to Europe’ Vote is because the Irish Government has over recent months shown itself to be incompetent.”
Earlier, Mr Ganley reiterated his view that the EU Commission had been unfair to Ryanair.
“They’ve blocked his takeover of Aer Lingus which is the first time that the commission blocked any airline takeover in 30 years,” he said.
“I think that is unfair but the fact that Michael O’Leary has said this is why he is calling for a Yes vote, that is, to persuade the Government to sell him Aer Lingus, is an entirely different matter.”
Questioned about the cost of the Libertas campaign this time around he said: “It will be less than €100,000. We’ve had very, very little money.”
