Aer Lingus today welcomed the decision of the Government in relation to the future funding requirements of the Airline.

In welcoming the announcement, John Sharman, Chairman of Aer Lingus said, Minister Martin Cullen and his officials in the Department of Transport have had difficult issues to resolve in air transport and we welcome today`s announcements as a significant step forward. It is good news for the future development of the Airline. The announcement starts the process of securing more diverse sources of vital funding needed to grow and develop the business and to build on the success of our low fares model. We now need to build on progress made to date with the Unions and agree the implementation of productivity measures which can build upon the platform for profitable growth which we have established.

With a process in relation to financing, and continued progress towards greater productivity, we will continue to compete aggressively both on short and long haul routes, staying true to our low fares, way better strategy. We look forward to working with the Department of Transport and its advisors in progressing the Government decision. We would welcome progress on open skies as this will provide the Airline with further opportunities for growth if we are in a position to grasp them.

In welcoming the announcement to develop capacity at Dublin airport, Mr Sharman emphasised that new developments must be commercially viable for Aer Lingus. He also stressed the need for immediate and rapid development of capacity and that temporary construction measures might be a necessary component in minimising disruption at Dublin airport during the development stage. Aer Lingus and Dublin Airport Authority have recently met and established a basis for co-operation for the future.

He continued, clearly, there has been a capacity constraint at Dublin airport for some time and with continuing growth in our passenger numbers, this problem is becoming more acute. Aer Lingus` principal hub is Dublin and providing additional capacity to us at Dublin airport is a crucial element in ensuring the development and success of our company.

Aer Lingus is the largest customer of the newly constituted Dublin Airport Authority, carrying 7 million plus passengers a year, and as such Dublin Airport continues to be the most significant customer service airport in its route network.