McNamara to exit Labour Parliamentary Party

Clare Labour TD, Michael McNamara will not support a Government motion in the Dáil this afternoon to sell the State’s 25.1% stake in Aer Lingus to IAG.

Deputy McNamara’s refusal to support the government in the vote will lead to automatic expulsion from Labour’s parliamentary party.

Suggesting in the Dáil today (Thursday) the IAG takeover is “a gamble he’s not prepared to support” he added, “Shannon’s current business level is no guarantee that services would not be cut in the future”.

“I’m not prepared to gamble with what I believe is key to the economic development of this state, all of this state. I don’t have confidence in these guarantees at the moment as they stand. On that basis Minister [Donohoe], I regret that I will not be able to support you in this afternoon’s motion,” Deputy McNamara stated.