Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

The Tánaiste knows as well as I do that the total portfolio approach can and should be taken with those companies still in full public ownership. He knows well that the moment shareholder interests enter the equation in the semi-States, they will trump the public interest. I imagine that is why his party's manifesto stated categorically that the party was against short-term privatisation, yet that is precisely what he is proposing to do - to cash in the chips of the semi-States. He tells us we need to invest in jobs. The troika has the view that that will be used to write down debt. The Government is guilty of exactly the same short-term political thinking exemplified by the Fianna Fáilers, and an incapacity to understand that those assets and industries need to be harnessed. They can generate employment, but they will deliver their full value in the medium and long term to the State, the citizens and the taxpayers only if they are kept in public ownership. The Tánaiste has singularly failed to tell us what the non-strategic assets are. He has not told us that because his plans are to go in and vandalise key strategic infrastructure.

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