Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the disposal of State assets under the aegis of his Department; the timeframe for their disposal and the progress made to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53270/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Government has decided to dispose of Bord Gáis Éireann’s Energy business and some of ESB’s non-strategic power generation capacity as part of the State Assets disposal programme.

The Government has also reiterated its commitment to retaining the electricity and gas networks as well as the two gas interconnectors in State ownership as national strategic infrastructure, critical for the delivery of secure, sustainable and competitive energy supplies.

ESB will remain a vertically integrated utility, positioned more competitively in the all island energy market and in due course in the integrated European Market. The sale of Bord Gáis Energy will support this dynamic, successful company and its employees to continue to invest and grow while enhancing competition in the energy market for the benefit of the economy and consumers.

Significant progress has been made in implementing the asset disposal programme, in line with our commitments under the EU/ECB/IMF Funding Programme.

Tender processes for the appointment of advisors to oversee the sale of Bord Gáis Energy are significantly advanced. NewERA is the agency with responsibility for oversight of the sale transaction on behalf of the Government. My Department is also progressing priority actions to address necessary legislative, regulatory and financial issues with a view to commencing the disposal process in 2013.