Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)

I am glad to have the opportunity to speak to this motion. The sale of a minority stake in the ESB as an integrated utility is one of critical importance to the future of the economy and an indication that the Government is committing to various pledges in the programme for Government. Nothing is more critical than being honest and communicating accurately and truthfully with our constituency, namely, the people of the Republic of Ireland.

When one contrasts the content of the motion with what is happening in the north of the island, two things are evident. The first is that Sinn Féin is a partitionist party and the second is that it is engaging in austerity measures in the north of the island that would do an injustice to the kind of austerity measures being widely commented upon in Greece.

Conor Murphy, a minister in this north of the island, brought forward legislation effectively to privatise the ports in Northern Ireland-----

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