Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 28: To ask the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if the conditions to be agreed with the International Monetary Fund in order to allocate funding for NewEra, as stated in the Fine Gael election manifesto, have been agreed and if not, when this will happen [5791/11]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources the number of jobs that will be created by NewEra and the interaction he will have with other Departments in its implementation [5789/11]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources the amount that will be invested under the NewEra plan; and the proportion that will be provided by the National Pension Reserve Fund [5790/11]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources the role he will play in developing NewEra; and when this process will begin [5788/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 30, 40 and 241 together.

Under the NewERA plan, the Government intends that the State companies concerned will make significant investments in key priority areas including energy networks, bioenergy, broadband, water and forestry. These investments will be commercially financed and will be off the Government balance sheet. The investments will also be set in the context of a new national development plan to be drawn up by the Government for the period 2012-2019.

I will consult the Ministers for Finance and Expenditure and Public Reform as the NewERA plan is developed to ensure compliance with the IMF-EU economic adjustment programme for Ireland. The potential for participation by the National Pension Reserve Fund commission in the NewERA infrastructure investment programmes will be pursued with the Minister for Finance and the NPRF commission. The range of existing and planned investment programmes under the NewERA plan will contribute to maintaining jobs and economic recovery in the short term. The NewERA plan will also underpin jobs and growth in the longer term by creating the necessary infrastructure to support enterprise investment.

As the Minister responsible for the NewERA plan I am working with the Ministers for Finance and Environment, Community and Local Government and all relevant ministerial colleagues to ensure collective delivery.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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What is the next step in the process? The Minister of State outlined the investment programme being funded under NewERA, which will absorb money from the National Pensions Reserve Fund and, according to the programme for Government, it is also proposed to finance the investment programme from the sale of certain State assets. Up to €2 billion is targeted through such sales. The programme also states, however, that assets will only be sold when market conditions are right and when adequate regulatory structures have been established to protect consumer interests. We do not know when those conditions will be right for any such sales. In the short term, will the initial investments be funded through the National Pensions Reserve Fund and has the Minister identified how much money will be available after the bank recapitalisation for investment through that channel?

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I said in my reply that investments would be set in the context of the new national development plan, which will be for the period 2012 to 2019. While everything must be done it must be done at the right time. The Deputy is right; there can be no fire-sale of assets and that is made clear in the programme for Government. Another report by Mr. Colm McCarthy is yet to be published and there are issues in that surrounding the sale of some assets that I hope will bring in €2 billion. Those assets will be non-essential and will not form part of our critical infrastructure.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Is the establishment of the NewERA authority the first step envisaged in the whole project?

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The NewERA entity will be established through legislation, which takes time. It is important that we get this right and consult with our colleagues in Government, the Civil Service and the State and semi-State bodies. It is vital to our national recovery that we take the time to get this right and put the investments in place, taking time to sell those non-essential State assets at a time when we will get the greatest benefit from them. The drive and energy will initially be directed towards water infrastructure and broadband. As we move through the programme, it is hoped we will create the thousands of jobs needed. The key is to do this right and ensure the legislation is signed off so we can move forward together. If we do not do that, it will not lead to job creation that is needed.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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On the interaction with other Departments, have there been any discussion with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport on access to public amenities like Coillte forests, such as at Lough Key in Boyle, or the cut away bogs owned by Bord na Móna? As part of the NewERA project there is public concern that existing access to State-run forests owned by Coillte and to cut away bogs may be threatened.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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At present Coillte is under the control of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Minister in that Department, Deputy Simon Coveney, could answer that question properly. I can state with clarity, however, that there is no question of not having access to existing and potential recreational amenities of the country. This is not to do anything other than to protect what we have, particularly our amenities. Those are what drive the tourism agenda, recreational amenities, fisheries and other attractions, which will never be changed but we must create jobs. That is our priority. By identifying and keeping those areas as part of our plan, it will grow the jobs that we so urgently need.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I am happy to take on board the Deputy's suggestion. Perhaps after this we could discuss how to start that process and consult with the bodies that must be involved in it.

I am talking about the sale of non-strategic State assets. Those will be defined by Colm McCarthy and others in the report that will be produced in the very near future. I am sure we all have a view on that. The collective effort of all concerned, including all sides in this House, will make this work. It is the only way we can rescue the country from the awful place it is in now. I welcome and support any suggestions and will meet the bodies mentioned by Deputy Colreavy, as well as taking on board Deputy Naughten's comments.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Deputy Colreavy asked the question I wanted to ask: what exactly is a non-essential or non-strategic State asset? This must be defined. This group of 17 illustrious people, whoever they are, although I know they are all very wealthy, with significant business interests-----

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy has a few bob himself.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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-----is recommending the selling of ports and harbours. Are those non-strategic assets? I ask this question because a mantra has been repeated by Fine Gael representatives in the debate on how to deal with unemployment that the State does not create jobs. What then are Bord na Móna, ESB, the health service or the ports and harbours? They create useful employment. The State can and should create jobs. Perhaps the Minister of State can give us an idea of what a non-essential or non-strategic State asset is because I am worried any of these things could be considered non-strategic.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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As an example, if wood grows on a piece of land, it can be sold but the strategic asset of the land is held on to. I hope the Deputy can accept that.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Did the Minister of State get that from the Minister?

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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We are working together.