Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

They have to pay €900 for a ten-week break in going to the institutes of technology to do the education part of the course. The Government took half the money it gave to these apprentices in order to repay third level fees. That is in line with the Government's actions in increasing third level fees, which it is continuing. It is very difficult for people in this position.

I will deal with the issues of State asset sales and helping Irish business. The Government has discussed a yield of approximately €2 billion or €3 billion from the sale of State assets over the past couple of years. Last Thursday in the Dáil, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform confirmed receipt of €150 million from Bord Gáis Energy and €197 million from the ESB; taken in conjunction with the €405 million mentioned from the privatisation of the national lottery licence, the Government will have received €752 million from the sale of State assets in the past 12 months. The biggest portion of this was the sale of the national lottery licence, which was to be ring-fenced for the proposed national children's hospital. The Minister confirmed that much of the proceeds from the sale of State assets has gone to a range of projects, including the resurfacing of regional roads and footpaths, the preparation of public-private partnerships for roads and education projects, energy efficiency works in local authority housing, social housing and tourism-related work. This begs the question that when work starts on the new children's hospital during the lifetime of the next Government, where will the supposedly ring-fenced funding be?

The Minister seems to be intent on using the proceeds on the sale of State assets for various pet projects around the country. He also confirmed that the sale of Bord Gáis Éireann realised over €1 billion but he is only taking in €150 million today. The timing of the receipt of the other €900 million is to be decided by the Government. This begs the question of whether money is being held to be brought into Government coffers for a series of further pet projects in order to buy votes in the approach to the general election. Naïve as I am, I thought-----

See this speech in context