Madam, - Aidan McGrath (September 13th) advocates that a minority shareholder in Aer Lingus - the Government - should begin legal proceedings against the company with the view, I presume, to have a court order to force the company to reverse a business decision the company claims will make more profits for the shareholders. In his pursuit of the impossible, he ignores the fact that the Minister of Transport has stated he won't interfere in the company.
He also says that when "shareholders wish to exercise their rights in this regard, they are often subjected to the kind of irrational abuse typified by Mr MacGabhann". To my knowledge the only shareholder to call for an egm to overturn the decision is Ryanair, which holds 29.4 per cent of the stock. The employees, with their 14.9 per cent, have remained silent. So has Denis O'Brien, with his 3 per cent, and the pilots union IAPA with 2 per cent. And as Minister Dempsey has said he won't interfere, who is Mr McGrath referring to?
WJ Murphy (September 17th) would lead us to believe the Government, having sold the company and taken the money, could withdraw the airline's operating licence if it doesn't provide "public service". This is simply wrong. As the provision of any "public service" was not mentioned in the 381-page sale prospectus any attempt to introduce one now would be seen as government interference and quickly rejected. - Yours, etc,
TONY MacGABHANN,
Herbert Road,
Bray, Co Wicklow.