asked the Minister for Energy if the Government are considering any plans to privatise all or part of the ESB's services or operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Privatisation of ESB Services.
9.
There are no plans for the privatisation of any part of the ESB's services or operations.
Is the Minister aware of the comments made by the chief executive in September last on the possibility of privatisation? Can the Minister give the type of guarantee which the chief executive sought; in other words, that judgment on the question of privatisation should be suspended for at least another ten years?
I gave no such guarantee. The chief executive is fully entitled to express his personal opinion in the matter but it would not be proper for me to make any comment other than the one contained in the reply. There are no such plans.
Given the comment made by the Minister for Industry and Commerce a week or so ago on the retail business of the ESB, can the Minister tell us if what he tells us today goes also for the retail business, that there are no proposals to hive it off to private enterprise?
There are no plans to do what the Deputy suggests at this time. I think he is confusing this matter with a decision of the Minister for Industry and Commerce to refer a matter with regard to the price of some products in those shops to the Fair Trade Commission. That is a completely different matter.