PRIVATISATION:THE GOVERNMENT intends to proceed with the sale of non-strategic State assets as early as possible, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has revealed. He told his parliamentary party meeting in Galway yesterday decisions on the disposal would be made as quickly as possible.
However, he promised there would be a debate in the Dáil and Seanad before they were implemented. The Coalition has been negotiating with European Union authorities for permission to use the proceeds of such sales to drive job creation, rather than to pay down national debt.
Speaking at a reception in Galway City Hall last night, hosted by city mayor Hildegarde Naughten, Mr Kenny emphasised the importance of job creation.
He said that even within the constraints faced by the Government in implementing the EU-IMF programme, the focus would be on jobs and small business.
Meanwhile, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said the Government would publish a three to four year plan next month to show the kind of expenditure cuts and tax increases required to reach the 3 per cent deficit target in 2015.
He said it was important for people to have “certainty” so they can make decisions on personal purchases as there were “quite a lot of savings in the economy”.
Mr Noonan told RTÉ he hoped by 2014 “most of the pain will have been endured” and the economy will be “strongly growing ”.
At his party meeting and in press briefings, Mr Kenny defended Tánaiste and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore and his performance in government.
He said Mr Gilmore played a “full and instructive part” in the process of decision-making.
Mr Kenny told his backbenchers that any little problems that had arisen in government had been sorted out quickly and the relations between the two Coalition parties were excellent as they were focused on what was best for the people of the country.
He also promised any internal communications difficulties between the Government and its backbenchers would be sorted out.
The Taoiseach told his TDs that the Coalition intended to resolve problems in the wording of the various referendums which are due to be held next year.
When asked about the severance payments worth more than €700,000 provided for the former secretary general to the Government and Taoiseach’s Department Dermot McCarthy – who retired during the summer – Mr Kenny said the deal could not be “unpicked”.
The Taoiseach said similar deals would not happen in the future because of rules the Government intended to introduce to cover salaries and pensions of top civil servants.