Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

I move amendment No. 103:

In page 45, lines 19 and 20, to delete all words from and including "with-" in line 19 down to and including "Finance" in line 20.

This relates to the 2001 Act and the amounts of capital stock, as well as the exercise of the powers of the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in that regard. I originally tabled that amendment to ensure the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources would have the key powers in this regard. I am simply seeking, in that particular subsection, to withdraw a reference to the Department of Finance.

I know it is the usual modus operandi in State agencies that the Minister for Finance is given the key role in this regard. I was thinking in particular of the experience of the ESB some years ago when one of the Minister's predecessors, the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, was in office. In order to fund the renovation of the transmission and distribution networks, the ESB raised its own finance. The reaction of the Minister at that time, as well as the Minister for Finance, was restrictive of the operation of the company. That was my primary impetus to seek to amend subsection (3).

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