Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has referred to three former directors of Aer Lingus as 'management who wanted to steal the assets of the airline'.
The Taoiseach made the comments in the Dáil this morning during leaders' questions. He was being asked about the privatisation of Aer Lingus by Labour leader Pat Rabbitte.
While he did not name the three, the Taoiseach's comments appeared to be directed at former Aer Lingus boss Willie Walsh and two former directors Seamus Kearney and Brian Dunne. The three executives tried to put together a management buyout of the airline in 2004.
At the time Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said he did not think such a deal would be appropriate.
This morning in the Dáil he went further, saying they wanted to steal the airline's assets and shaft the interests of the staff.
The Taoiseach added that he was glad the individuals involved proved their worth in the financial markets. But not, he said, at the expense of taking the assets away from Aer Lingus.
When contacted by RTE News this lunchtime one of the three former directors declined to comment. Mr Walsh is currently chief executive of British Airways.
