Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform

Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

5:25 pm

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister will not concede the point. Coillte is strategic. It is today and was at the time he decided to examine it for the purposes of the sale of harvesting rights. The State's holding in Aer Lingus is strategic. The European Commission and UK commission deliberations on the company reflect very clearly the strategic issue of the State's holding. I find it very odd that the Minister has backed off on the threat to Coillte and, it seems, to Aer Lingus but still will not acknowledge their strategic importance. Irish Water, I presume, is regarded as a strategic asset by the Minister. Therefore, we can assume it will never be on the table for consideration, due diligence and sell-off. Is that correct?

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