Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

The Minister of State will know the ESB does not have a majority stake in the industrial-commercial sector. There is free competition and, as is correct, the ESB's market share in this area has fallen because of competition. There is now competition in the domestic electricity supply market. I am concerned about the ESB's future in terms of power generation because the Government, through regulation, is deliberately preventing the ESB from competing in the domestic sector. Does the Minister of State not agree that, in the industrial sector, the role of the ESB, with the exception of ESB International, which is a separate company, has already been diminished and that we are now facilitating the collapse of market share in the domestic sector also by preventing the ESB from competing in terms of price with Bord Gáis and Airtricity?

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