Sinn Fein Protest Against Aer Lingus Privatisation

national | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Monday April 10, 2006 15:14 by Frank

Sinn Fein staged a protest on Saturday 8 April at the Airport Roundabout against the Privatisation of Aer Lingus. The protest was attended by Gerry Adams MP, Bairbre De Brun MEP as well as Cllr Dessie Ellis and Cllr Felix Gallagher.

Gerry Adams, Cllr Felix Gallagher & Cllr Dessie Ellis

Sinn Féin activists took part in a picket at the Dublin Airport roundabout at 3pm on Saturday afternoon to show their opposition to the proposed sale of Aer Lingus, the state's national airline. They were joined by Cllrs Felix Gallagher (Fingal County Council) and Dessie Ellis (Dublin City Council). Both Councils, along with South Dublin County Council passed Sinn Féin motions of opposition to the proposed sale.

Speaking ahead of the protest Cllr Ellis, who is the Sinn Féin candidate in Dublin North-West in the coming General Election, said: "The proposed sale has accurately been described as an act of economic vandalism. We are going to sell a profitable, efficient democratically owned company because the Government refuses to invest in it but the sale itself will only raise at best a quarter of the investment Aer Lingus management claims is needed."

Cllr Gallagher said: "There is no economic reason for this sale. The Government can invest in this airline, contrary to some of the spin in the media and the analysis of Labour on Fingal Council who opposed our motion not to sell off the airline. One of the greatest assets belonging to the people of Ireland is going to be sold to private investors whose sole goal will be to ring every last cent out of the airline regardless of the strategic needs of our island economy."

Sinn Fein Protest at Airport Roundabout