Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Deputy cannot take it that 49% will be sold. There is already a minority shareholding in the ESB which is held by the staff of the company. As I said earlier, we will not break up the ESB. The Deputy opposite seems to be taking that line of thinking, but there will be no breaking up of the ESB by this Government. It will remain a single entity, which is what is in the national interest. It will be in State control and a minority shareholding will be sold, the proceeds from which the Government intends to use to generate funds for employment in order to get this economy going.

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