The Tánaiste is under pressure from within her own party to reject IAG’s takeover offer for Aer Lingus.
It’s reported that Labour TDs will bring a motion to the party’s conference calling for the 1-point-4 billion euro bid to be turned down – over fears regarding jobs and connectivity.
According to this morning’s Irish Independent, a motion opposing the sale will be put to delegates at the Labour party’s annual conference in Killarney this weekend.
If members vote in favour of that motion – the Tánaiste will have little option but to reject the bid at Cabinet.
The motion comes amid concern about job losses from the party’s Deputies in North Dublin – the home of the airline’s headquarters and majority of its employees; and there are also concerns as connectivity for Shannon and Cork Airports.
It all comes as Aer Lingus’s chairman says ‘combining’ with IAG would de-risk the company’s future and strengthen its operations.
Colm Barrington was commenting on the airline’s annual results which showed profits jumped by 17.8% last year.