Former minister for public enterprise Mary O'Rourke has said she doesn't believe Aer Lingus will be sold before the next general election, despite the current Minister's resolve to privatise it before then.
Ms O'Rourke told the Newstalk 106 Down To Business programme: "I have a gut feeling it won't go ahead at the end of next year because we'll be within three to four months of a general election . . . The end of 2006 means one thing - that the general election is directly around the corner - so my guess is that it won't happen."
Political and business sources believe there are a number of obstacles to a sale, and Mrs O'Rourke suggested the Taoiseach's personal attitude was among them. "He doesn't feel comfortable about selling Aer Lingus," she said. "Aer Lingus is northside territory. Also, if the pensions issue [the looming pensions deficit at the airline] is overhanging and the general election is overhanging, I don't think it will happen."
She also criticised former minister for transport Séamus Brennan over his handling of a metro link to Dublin airport.
"When Séamus Brennan came into my job, he was going to have it done by some guy from Spain, I forget his name now, but he was some 'metro magic man' and he could do it in 12 months.
"But of course he disappeared . . . three years on, we haven't built it yet," she said.