A number of TDs from the Shannon region said there was still a lot of anger about the pull-out.
Aer Lingus CEO Dermot Mannion said the airline would be issuing its defence document on the Ryanair bid in a few days - and that was as much as he could say for now.
Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary earlier told the Oireachtas Committee on Transport that the conditions were right now for his airline to buy Aer Lingus.
Mr O'Leary said that under the deal he was proposing, the Government would get control of the Heathrow slots, Ryanair would recognise the unions and respect procedures already in place.
He also said the current management would remain in place and passenger numbers would increase to 18m in five years.
Mr O'Leary argued that a merger would strengthen competition.
He described Ryanair as the IKEA of the airline industry, the ALDI and the LIDL of the industry.
He said that after two years of independence, Aer Lingus was 'losing money, cutting jobs, flights and increasing fares'.
He said that Aer Lingus was like Shamrock Rovers while Ryanair was the Manchester United of airlines.
He said a merger between Ryanair and Aer Lingus was the only way to challenge the new competitive aviation alliances in Europe.
Labour TD Tommy Broughan told Mr O'Leary that his promise to recognise the unions was like Osama Bin Laden coming out and saying he is becoming a Christian.
The Ryanair boss told the committee that they had to recognise all the stakeholders in Aer Lingus, including the unions.
A takeover would be 'a bright new dawn for Aer Lingus', Mr O'Leary said, adding: 'Aer Lingus has a very bleak future without Ryanair.'
Chambers against takeover
Speaking after the committee hearing, Mr O'Leary put the prospect of the merger going ahead as '50-50'. He said
he felt he had made a very persuasive case to the committee.
Mr Mannion left the meeting without making any comment to reporters.
Chambers Ireland has argued that the move should not be approved in the interest of competition.
The group, which represents the country's chambers of commerce, says it does not support the latest Ryanair bid for Aer Lingus.
Chambers Ireland spokesman Seán Murphy said while both Ryanair and Aer Lingus have solid records of providing choice and value to customers, things could be different if they became a merged entity.
