Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

The more the Deputy shouts, the more we know it hurts. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Labour Party are a seamless link in the chain of privatisation.

The Government is attempting to use the troika agreement as a fig leaf to cover up its real intentions. It claims that the sale is part of the EU-IMF deal, but this is not true. I urge the Minister to re-read the actual document. There is nothing binding in the deal that forces the Government to sell off any stake in the ESB. The relevant section states, "..the government will undertake an independent assessment of the electricity and gas sectors with a view to enhancing their efficiency. State authorities will consult with the Commission Service on the results of this assessment with a view to setting appropriate targets for the possible privatisation of state owned assets".

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