asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the nationality, names and salaries of all Aer Lingus personnel who are non-nationals.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Aer Lingus Personnel.
The appointment of staff is a matter for the directors and management of Aer Lingus and one in which the Minister for Industry and Commerce has no function. It has not been the practice to obtain from Aer Lingus particulars of the nationality, names and salaries of the staff employed by that company.
Is the Minister aware that there is considerable dissatisfaction among the nationals employed in Aer Lingus at the number of non-nationals employed there, and also of the fact that the services of nationals of this State have been dispensed with while the services of non-nationals have been retained in order to perform the duties of Irish citizens?
I am informed that the great majority of those employed by Aer Lingus are Irish nationals. It will, I think, have to be appreciated that the British company have a 40 per cent. interest in Aer Lingus and that they are responsible for 50 per cent. of the losses which may be incurred by that company.