Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the interdepartmental group on the sale of State assets has yet reported to Government; if he intends to publish this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4661/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Two inter-departmental groups were established in 2011, one to consider the best approach in achieving a part-sale of ESB, including energy policy, regulatory, legal, financial and economic considerations, and a second group to examine other possible disposal candidates in order to inform any further decisions that the Government may wish to make. Both of these groups reported in December, 2011. However, while these reports have been considered and discussed by relevant Ministers and by the Economic Management Council, they have not yet been considered by the Government as a whole.

I do not propose to publish either of the reports as they both contain highly sensitive commercial information in relation to the assets in question. In the hands of potential investors and/or corporate finance and other advisers, such information could seriously impede the State's ability to optimise potential receipts from any assets to be sold. The final composition and scale of the asset disposal programme requires full government consideration and agreement and the House will be fully briefed on the matter when the Government has taken its decision.