Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today denied the Government has abandoned efforts to find an alternative operator for the Shannon/Heathrow route.
Mr Ahern was responding to claims by Labour leader Eamon Gilmore that the Government had made no further efforts to find a replacement for Aer Lingus since British Midland (BMI) decided it would not operate the route.
"It would appear the Taoiseach is saying that the Government is now no longer actively pursuing a service from Shannon to Heathrow," Mr Gilmore told the Dail.
But amid much heckling, Mr Ahern insisted the Government "won't give up".
"Our history on this side of the House is that we have always helped Shannon, we've always helped the Mid West and we'll continue to help," he said.
Government ministers have repeatedly said the State cannot use its 25 per cent stake in the former flag-barer to influence management decisions.
Mr Gilmore said this contradicted what then minister for transport Martin Cullen said at the time of the Aer Lingus flotation when he said the shareholding would protect the State's strategic interest.
"What on earth do you have a board of directors for if not to supervise what a management is doing and to make management accountable and to direct management where direction is required.
"This is a disgraceful abandonment of regional policy and a disgraceful abandonment of the people of the West and Mid-West regions," Mr Gilmore said.
Fine Gael transport spokesman Fergus O'Dowd said the Governmetn's position on the board of directors was an "admission of failure" and implied the Government was powerless to protect any of Ireland's international air links.
"The Government was supposed to use its board representation to protect this country's strategic aviation interests, but has failed to do so.
"It's hypocrisy is astounding as a major decision to end the Shannon to Heathrow service could not have gone ahead without the tacit approval of the Government and without reference to the board of management," Mr O'Dowd said.
Mr Ahern said the board of directors supported management's decision and accepted the "commercial realities" of the decision despite recognising the difficulties.