Vol. 568 No. 2
100 Mr. Sherlock 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 the board of Bord na Móna to his request for their views on the future of the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15934/03]
As I stated in my reply to this question in April 2003, planning for the future of Bord na Móna is entirely a matter for the company in the first instance. In that regard I 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." The chairman of Bord na Móna responded last March to my letter regarding the company's future. My Department and the Department of Finance are continuing to assess the issues raised. Contact with the company with regard to this matter is ongoing.
