Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

The programme for Government states that approximately €2 billion of non-strategic assets will be sold off. In the aftermath of the publication of the McCarthy report, there is much concern regarding the extent of that sale.

I am speaking now as a Donegal man. Previous reports by Mr. Colm McCarthy terrified people in rural Ireland. He talked about closing small schools and rural transport, blocking community development funding and abolishing town councils. Given Mr. McCarthy's history as a right-wing economist, can the Tánaiste give clarification very soon? What are non-strategic assets? What does the Government mean by that? Second, will the resources gained by this sale be invested in job creation or will they be given to the IMF, the EU and the bondholders? The people seek urgent clarification.

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