SF calls for retention of state assets in full public ownership

Sinn Féin is calling on the Government to halt the sale of state assets that are vital to the economy.

The Government's plan to sell off parts of profitable Bord Gais, as well as the ESB and harvesting rights in Coillte, is being condemned as being a "short-term solution with a long-term cost".

The opposition party says the Government should make the companies ear-marked for sale more efficient and they should be used to develop better energy and electricity infrastructure for the knowledge economy.

Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Central, Mary Lou McDonald, said these companies were crucial for Ireland's future.

"Rather than selling off or part-privatising these assets, the smart and strategic thing to do is to keep them in full public ownership and then to use them in a manner that serves the economy and the citizens," she said.