The President of the Workers Party Michael Finnegan has said that the government’s review of state and semi-state companies is nothing less than a fire-sale of the people’s assets in order to save Fianna Fáil’s electoral bacon and the party has condemned the appointment of Dr. Colm McCarthy to oversee the review.

Mr. Finnegan said that Dr. McCarthy had a proven dislike for the state sector and any review overseen by him would be result in the wholesale destruction of state companies which have served this country well over many decades.

“This so-called review is no more than a liquidation sale. It is the last throw of the dice by a desperate government in order to fund some kind of false economic dawn to fit in with their new propaganda claim that the economy is on the mend. It can only end in disaster and the loss of thousands of jobs.   State companies like the ESB have been the engine of our economy and have on many occasions prevented this country from going under by providing much needed funds.  They must not be sold off for a temporary cash injection”, said Mr. Finnegan.

The Workers Party President said that Dr. Colm McCarthy was a classic hatchet-man with only one purpose, a slash and burn dissection of the state sector.  “Clearly this government has learned nothing from the Eircom disaster and even as this fire-sale is being prepared we see the former state company prepare to shed at least another 2,000 jobs.  Somebody must shout stop and there is now a grave onus on the trade union movement to make a stand against the sale of any more public assets”.

Issued 4th July 2010