FF tries to clarify plan to `democratise semi-state sector'

FIANNA Fail has been accused by Labour and Democratic Left of "courting the business sector" and "dancing to the PD tune" over its new policy "to democratise our semi-State sector".

The proposal to allow management, employees, customers, suppliers and financial institutions to become the new shareholders" of commercial semi-State companies was announced by the party leader, Mr Bertie Ahern,

Yesterday morning Mr Ahern went on Morning Ireland to downgrade the new ownership "policy" to "Fianna Fail thinking". It was not privatisation. "We're not thinking about any particular State company," he said. His "thinking" on the ownership of the semi-State sector came in for strong attack from the left-wing parties last night.

The Labour TD, Mr Tommy Broughan, accused Mr Ahern of adopting an incoherent attitude to the semi-State sector. In two days, completely divergent views had been heard from the party, he said.

Mr Eric Byrne TD (Democratic Left) accused Fianna Fail of "dancing to a PD tune 12 months before an election. In proposing that stakes in the companies be bought by workers and pension funds, Mr Ahern is forgetting one salient fact. The companies are already owned by the Irish people workers and consumers, he said.