Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

My Department is responsible for overseeing general policy and the State shareholder interest in a number of commercial state bodies, namely, the ESB, EirGrid, Bord Gáis Éireann, Bord na Móna, the INPC, RTE, TG4 and An Post. These bodies employ in the region of 23,300 people and had, according to the latest published figures, a total turnover of some €6.7 billion in 2007. They play a critical role and, in most cases, hold strategic national infrastructure in the sectors in which they operate.

In line with Government policy on the matter, the Minister has no plans to sell off or privatise State companies under the remit of the Department as part of a revenue-raising programme for Government. The shareholder priority with respect to these companies is to ensure profitable commercial operations, competitive provision of services to the economy as a whole, nationwide delivery of services in certain cases and a strongly positive contribution to the strategic development of the sectors in which they operate, in areas such as infrastructure development and environmental sustainability.

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