Vol. 528 No. 1
117 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Public Enterprise when the Irish National Petroleum Corporation Limited Bill will be published; if the sale or any part of the sale of the assets of the Irish National Petroleum Corporation can proceed prior to the enactment of the Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29819/00]
Substantive work on the legislation relating to the functions, if any, I might exercise with regard to the proposed sale of the Irish National Petroleum Corporation's assets can only begin when the negotiations between the two principals are sufficiently advanced as to clarify the precise issues involved. In these circumstances, I am not yet in a position to say when the Bill to which the Deputy refers will be published. I assure him that once the detailed requirements are clearly established, I intend to bring forward any necessary legislative proposals as a priority matter.
Pending the clarification of the terms emerging from the current negotiations, it would be prudent to assume on the basis of the advice received from the Attorney General that the sale of any of the assets in question will require the enactment of legislation. Both INPC and the intending purchaser are aware of that position.
