Sparks fly over ESB stance on competition

The Margin enjoyed the cut and thrust between members of the Committee of Public Enterprise and senior ESB management last week…

The Margin enjoyed the cut and thrust between members of the Committee of Public Enterprise and senior ESB management last week in the Senate chamber.

Fine Gael's Ivan Yates was the most vociferous critic of the State electricity company, telling chief executive Ken O'Hara that the ESB was instinctively against competition.

However, after several minutes of discussion about the ESB's involvement in the telecommunications joint venture - Ocean - Mr Yates corrected himself.

"I apologise, the ESB is in favour of competition - once it is in the telecommunications industry." Nice one Ivan.