Troika demands sale of state assets raises over €2bn

THE EU/ECB/IMF troika has asked the Irish Government to raise substantially more than €2 billion through the sale of state assets, Taoiseach Enda Kenny admitted last night.

The Taoiseach indicated, however, that the Government was confident it would be allowed to invest whatever money it raised through such sales in growth programmes rather than paying down the national debt.

“The troika are looking for what they say is substantially more than €2bn — €2bn was what was agreed in the Programme for Government,” he said.