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Irish minister says IAG offer for Aer Lingus stake not yet persuasive

Reuters - UK Focus

DUBLIN, Feb 20 (Reuters) - A senior Irish government minister on Friday said that an offer by British Airways owner to buy Ireland (Other OTC: IRLD - news) 's 25 percent stake in Aer Lingus (Other OTC: AELGF - news) was not yet persuasive enough.

Aer Lingus' board recommended the 1.36 billion euro ($1.5 billion) offer from International Consolidated Airlines Group ICAG.L (IAG) last month, subject to the agreement of the Irish state to sell, but political opposition has been significant.

"It is up to IAG to make an offer that is persuasive in relation to the public interest here. And as of yet we don't have an offer that is persuasive enough," Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said in an interview with Newstalk Radio.

IAG chief executive Willie Walsh indicated to an Irish parliamentary committee earlier this month that IAG would not improve its current offer, which include guarantees to maintain certain Irish routes. (Reporting by Conor Humphries, editing by William Hardy)