Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

The Minister is not answering the question. What is the rationale which the troika or he is putting forward for the sale of State assets? How is it of benefit to this country and its prospects for economic recovery or growth? I cannot see any other logic behind the demand of the EU-IMF, or the Minister's support for the sale of State assets in the programme for Government, other than asset stripping. The Minister is not saying how it will benefit us.

Is the Minister aware that when state companies in Europe are privatised, in particular energy companies, investment in them falls because the private shareholders in them demand dividends on their shares? It does not lead to increased investment in the economy or jobs growth. It often goes in the opposite direction. Is that not the real danger if we go down this road?

Will the Minister please define what the hell a non-strategic State asset is? How can the ESB be in any way described as a non-strategic State asset?

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