Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I ask the Minister of State to use his own time to persuade us in a constructive way of the merits of the Government proposal. Will he explain to us how relinquishing public control of An Bord Gáis will assist our economic recovery? We must seek a different way to the short-termism that has marked the performance of this Government. What is at stake is our very survival as an island nation.

Bord na Móna, An Bord Gáis and the ESB are profitable companies with a clear strategic importance. A partial sale will be the first step towards full privatisation, with inevitable job losses and increased costs for consumers. The consequences of the privatisation of critical infrastructure can be seen in the experience of our nearest neighbour. The sale of Royal Mail, for example, was such a disaster that it had to be returned to state ownership. The privatisation of British Rail came at enormous cost and was executed so poorly that some have argued it literally cost lives because there was no proper maintenance of the railway lines. In any sale of strategic State assets, companies will come in to strip assets and secure profits, not to invest in what should be a public service entitlement.

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