Derek McDowell
Question:28 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she intends to involve herself in the restructuring talks at the ESB and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13160/01]
Written Answers - Electricity Supply Board.
A further programme of change, entitled the programme to achieve competitiveness and transformation, is to be launched by ESB in the very near future. The new change programme is designed to further enhance the positioning of the company in the context of the liberalized electricity market framework as agreed between my Department and ESB management and unions – the tripartite agreement of February 2000.
ESB management and unions are currently involved in an intensive series of discussions, to be finalized by 31 May, designed to agree the nature and extent of the changes required with a view to a ballot of ESB staff in June. The present discussions bear upon work practices and matters of operational detail and are a matter for management and unions in ESB.