Fine Gael leader Mr Michael Noonan has called for the Board of Aer Lingus to be restructured, prioritising the removal of political friends of the Minister and the Taoiseach.
Mr Noonan met today with workers and union representatives from Aer Lingus and Aer Rianta at Shannon Airport.
Addressing the workers, Mr Noonan said fundamental changes in the structure of Aer Lingus were required if the future viability of the airline was to be secured.
Mr Noonan said he believed that job cuts on their own were not enough to ensure this. "Aer Lingus must have at its head a Board of Directors with the necessary skills and experience to meet the huge challenge facing the company. This is not now the case," he said.
"The current Board includes in its membership a Fianna Fail party fundraiser, and political and personal friends of the Taoiseach and Minister Mary O’Rourke. Such appointees do not have the appropriate qualifications for the task at hand."
The meeting followed reports this morning that job losses at the national airline could exceed the 2,500 permanent posts and 700 temporary positions already flagged by the company.