The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, has beefed up the board of Aer Lingus to ensure the airline meets "the substantial challenges that lie ahead".
Mr Seán Fitzpatrick, the chief executive of Anglo Irish Bank, has been appointed to the airline's board, along with Mr Brian Dunne, Aer Lingus chief financial officer.
Mr Dunne led the review of the airline's European fleet, which culminated in the decision to opt for Airbus craft.
The other new appointee is Ms Anne Mills, an engineer with Dublin City Council. She is the senior engineer in charge of the redevelopment and regeneration of Dublin city centre.
The Department also confirmed the appointment of Mr John Sharman to the board.
Mr Sharman previously worked with GPA before setting up Spectrum Capital in partnership with Mitsubishi Group.
He is currently responsible for the company's business outside the Americas, which has exceeded €20 billion.
Aer Lingus reported profits of €83 million earlier this month, an increase of 30 per cent. Turnover slipped by 7.3 per cent to €888 million as the company cut fares.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Brennan said he was pleased by the airline's performance.
"But aviation remains a very competitive area and Aer Lingus requires constant strong leadership, which it is receiving," he said.
