28/05/2015

SF Hits Out At FF Over Sale Of Aer Lingus

Sinn Féin has hit out at Fianna Fáil over the sale of Aer Lingus.

Laois and Offaly TD, Brian Stanley, said that Fianna Fáil had initiated the privatisation of Aer Lingus in 2006 when they placed 75% of its shares on the stock exchange.

Deputy Stanley said: "While Seán Fleming and Fianna Fáil accuse the Government of being unpatriotic by agreeing to sell off Aer Lingus, they seem to forget that it was they who set this in train. Indeed, their sale of 75% of the company probably brought in less money than the Government intends to sell the remaining 25% state share holding for.

"Fianna Fáil were planning to sell off other state assets including Coillte, and were responsible for the sale to Greencore of the Irish Sugar Company in 1991. That ended with the closure of the entire sugar sector in 2006 when Greencore closed the Carlow sugar factory as part of a property speculation.

"Not only did that cost hundreds of jobs, and impact hundreds of beet growers, but it also led to the Greencore shareholders taking the lion's share of compensation money intended for the growers."

(CD)

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