Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The first point is that ESB is a State company and is owned by the people of Ireland. Second, it is making very significant investment in projects now and for the future that will need to be financed by borrowing, and the debt already accumulated by ESB is quite significant. It needs profits to enable it to meet debt obligations and to ensure its capital expansion plans in future can be realised. One of the most important matters for us will be energy security. The question of the amount that can be returned on a dividend increase, for example, which is under consideration, will not dramatically impact the €500 million or €300 million package we have just announced. That must come from general Exchequer resources. I understand people are looking everywhere to see millions of euro here and there but we must keep our heads and focus on the energy security issue.

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