Irish PM believes EC will approve Aer Lingus sale

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said on Wednesday he believes the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union (EU), will approve the sale of Ireland's 25.1 percent stake in its national airline Aer Lingus to International Airlines Group (IAG).

Kenny told the parliament that the sale of Aer Lingus will create jobs and is backed by Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports.

Earlier, Kenny said it is clear that the government got the best deal for the country.

He said the IAG offer is the best means of securing connectivity to the rest of the world and it will best serve the interest of the travelling public, the company and its employees, the Irish tourism industry and the Irish economy as a whole.

The government is recommending the sale of the country's stake in Aer Lingus to IAG. The parliament is debating the sale with a vote due on Thursday.

But opposition parties are criticizing the deal as a bad one for the country and for the airline's employees.

IAG, one of the world's largest airline groups, is the parent company of British Airways, Iberia and Vueling. It has made three takeover bids for Aer Lingus, and its latest bid took place on Jan. 24, 2015, when it proposed a 2.55 euro per-share takeover offer, totalling close to 1.4 billion euros.

Meanwhile, Ireland's Minsiter for Transport Paschal Donohoe outlined to the parliament conditions of IAG's bid for Aer Lingus.

Donohoe also said the sale of the country's share in Aer Lingus will result in job creation.

"It is envisaged that by the end of 2016, a new net 150 jobs will have been created in Aer Lingus, rising to a new net total of 635 jobs by 2020," he said at a parliament debate. Endit