THE Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, Mr Dukes, has dismissed a claim by the PD leader, Ms Mary Harney, that the consortium which is taking a share in Telecom Eireann has the first option to take the company over completely.
She has also been criticised by the Labour TD for Dublin North, Mr Sean Ryan, for suggesting, in an interview in yesterday's Irish Times, that Aer Rianta would be top of her party's privatisation list should it find itself in Government after the general election.
Mr Dukes said last night that the only further option Com-source, the consortium including KPN and Telia, had was one of purchasing a 15 per cent stake on top of the initial 20 per cent stake.