Sinn Féin spokesperson on Workers’ Rights, Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Louise O’Reilly TD, has said that the Taoiseach must proactively intervene to help bring a resolution to the Aer Lingus dispute and avert planned strike action this Saturday.

She said that the clock is ticking, and the Taoiseach cannot afford to sit on his hands in the hope that ongoing discussions at the Labour Court will lead to an end to the dispute.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“While it is welcome that the Labour Court is having individual meetings with Aer Lingus and the pilots’ union IALPA today, the threat of strike action this Saturday very much remains on the table.

“The clock is ticking. Thousands of parents and their children are anxiously waiting to see if a resolution can be reached that would save their long-planned and saved-for summer plans.

“What those families want to know, and what workers and business owners in the tourism sector across the state want to know is what the Taoiseach and his government are doing to proactively intervene to prevent this industrial action taking place.

“The Taoiseach cannot take it for granted that the Labour Court will bring about a resolution to this dispute before Saturday.

“He must be proactive. He must pick up the phone and bring the two parties around the table until a resolution is found.”