Breeda Moynihan-Cronin
Ceist:97 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Transport the Government's proposals for the future of the Great Southern Hotel Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18238/02]
Written Answers. - Great Southern Hotels.
In a strategic review undertaken in 1999 for my predecessor, the board of Aer Rianta considered that the Great Southern Hotels Group, while operating successfully, is non-core to Aer Rianta's airport management operations. The board recommended that it should exit from the hotels and use the proceeds from the sale towards financing capital expenditure programmes at the State airports. A subsequent report prepared by Warburg Dillon Read and AIB Capital Markets for the former Minister agreed with the view of the Aer Rianta board on this matter. I will revisit the question of the future of the Great Southern Hotels Group in due course. I intend, however, to concentrate for the time being on the priority issues for aviation, and transport in general, as set out in the programme for Government.
Question No. 98 answered with Question No. 76.