Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

The Minister is incorrect and he should check the source document, the memorandum of understanding, where he will see that the previous Government committed itself to a review which was carried out by Dr. Colm McCarthy. To ensure efficient gas and electricity networks, there was no number nor was there a specific commitment to sell any State assets. The present Government made the money commitment, not us. Even before the publication of Dr. McCarthy's report, the programme for Government stated: "We will target up to €2 billion in sales of non-strategic state assets drawing from the recommendations of the McCarthy Review Group on State Assets when available."

The programme for Government also states that: "Assets will only be sold when market conditions are right and when adequate regulatory structures have been established to protect the consumer interests." I believe that when any stake in these assets is sold, the private interest predominates, but does the Minister think that market conditions will be right over the next four years to sell these State assets, in line with the programme for Government?

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