Vol. 482 No. 6
128 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the discussions, if any, she has had since her appointment regarding the sale of shares in State companies under the aegis of her Department; and if so, the bodies with whom these discussions have taken place; and the results, if any, of these discussions. [18576/97]
Since my appointment as Minister, I have met the chief executives and board members of all of the main commercial State bodies under my remit. I have also met representatives of business and trade union interests. A wide range of policy issues was discussed at these meetings; I have become aware, for example, of a growing interest among trade unions in employee share ownership schemes. However, it is only in the context of employee share ownership proposals for Telecom Éireann that I have had specific discussions in relation to the sale of State shares.
