Vol. 560 No. 1
151 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans for the future of Bord na Móna; if he has received a response from Bord na Móna to his request for their views of the future of the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1816/03]
I would refer the Deputy to the programme for Government, agreed in June 2002, which states that the Government "will approach the issue of the appropriate form of ownership or structure for State companies on a case-by-case basis" and "will support the maximum commercial freedom of semi-State companies, subject to the fulfilment of national strategic and balanced regional policy objectives".
As outlined in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 130 on 19 November last, I wrote to the chairman of Bord na Móna in July 2002 seeking the views of the board in relation to the companys future strategy plans. I am not expecting a reply to my request until the chairman, new board members and newly elected worker directors have had time to settle in.
