Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I realise the Minister has stated in his reply that he cannot give details of the projected sales on a company by company basis. The Minister claims he cannot put this information in the public arena for commercial sensitivity purposes. Does the Minister know? Does he have an estimate on a company by company basis? Has the Government discussed the estimate on a company by company basis? Has the Department in conjunction primarily with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources agreed on the basis for it? Who came up with the estimates on a company by company basis? The Government cannot have put out a magic figure of €3 billion without knowing approximately where it would come from.

What professional advisers have worked with the Departments on this matter? What tendering process took place and when was it advertised? How much were they paid? Will these people have an interest in advising potential purchasers later on when they make bids for some of these assets in terms of the methods of sale? The Minister has given no indication of whether it will be a sale of shares, as happened in other companies, whether it will be a trade sale or whether the Department will invite submissions from interested parties and perhaps invite a limited tender. Will the Minister explain the process? Presuming the Minister has professional advisers, has he locked into this process that they must not be in a position to advise any potential purchasers in due course?

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