Govt to outline plans for selling State assets
22/02/2012 - 07:00
The Government will reveal this morning plans for the sale of State assets.
The move, which is part of the bailout programme, could see the sale of the stake in Aer Lingus, forests and parts of our energy companies.
Last night, the Cabinet reached an agreement on what the Government intends to sell off from the family silver.
The list and the expected value the Coalition hopes to realise is to be outlined by the Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Brendan Howlin this morning.
Already a minority stake in the ESB is to be sold, though that has been long-fingered because of union objections.
The Government also intends to get rid of the 25% stake in Aer Lingus as soon as the price is right.
Forests are also possible options, though not the land Coillte owns.
The jewel in the crown though would certainly be Bord Gais which could net the taxpayer €2bn.
The Government has promised there won't be a fire-sale and for the first time last week the updated Troika Memorandum of Understanding outlined that some of the proceeds could be used for job creation.
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