Tánaiste rules out 'rush' to sell State assets

TÁNAISTE EAMON Gilmore insisted in the Dáil that “nobody is in any rush” to sell State assets, as he faced Opposition claims that the Government was “pawning off the State assets to pay moneylenders”.

A row erupted in the Dáil in the wake of the report of the McCarthy Review Group on State Assets and Liabilities, which recommended the sale of a number of State assets, which could potentially realise an estimated €5 billion.

Mr Gilmore had told the House the Government was presented with a report on the sale of State assets and that it would be considered by the Coalition and by individual departments.

“If any decisions are made on foot of the report, they will be brought before the House,” he said.

But Socialist TD Clare Daly said the report should be discussed in the Dáil not when the Cabinet had discussed it, but “immediately upon our return”, after Easter.

She said that 40,000 semi-State workers were trembling, having listened to the Minister with responsibility for public expenditure, Brendan Howlin, on the radio talking about his imminent decision to proceed with the sale of State assets. She said this constituted a threat to those workers.

Her party colleague Joe Higgins asked if the Labour Party was seriously prepared to be part of this “neoliberal huckster’s deal which will involve pawning the assets of the people to pay off moneylenders”.

Mr Gilmore replied that no decisions had been made and added that Mr Howlin’s comments were only that there would be no delay in making a decision about whether or not to sell.

“The issue of disposing of State assets, if and when it arises, will only be considered in the light of market conditions,” he said.

He said nobody was in any rush to dispose of the assets and that if there was any such disposal to be addressed, a decision on that would be taken by the Government.

Fianna Fáil spokesman on finance Brian Lenihan, who raised the issue, pointed to personal statements by various members of the Government who opposed the sale of Bord na Móna, Coillte and a number of other State companies. He asked for the Tánaiste’s assurance that “we will not see legislation to dispose of these assets”.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald said it was clear the Government is now prepared to go down the cul-de-sac of selling State assets in a bid to pay bank and bondholder debts.

Mr Gilmore said the report was clear that there should not be a fire sale of State assets. He also pledged that a debate on the report would be held as soon as possible after Easter. There was no legislation and no proposals on the table at present. “Nothing will be sold by anybody before the debate takes place in the House,” he said.