Since 1990, the turnover of the business has gone up by a factor of five. We have operational contracts to operate over 3,000 megawatts of power plant overseas. The current peak load in Ireland is under 3,500.

On the success of ESB International.

We have built a platform that will permit the ESB to become a multinational utility.

On the future.

If you do not get a new strategy, ideally every five years, then you will start to go backwards.

On the necessity of change.

New departures are always driven by a relatively small number of people.

On achieving that change.

There is a certain kind of bureaucracy that kills off initiative.

On what annoys him.

My personal view on this is that within seven years, which is a kind of strategic cycle, I think the subsidiary company activities will be contributing at least 25 per cent of total profit of ESB.

On what can be achieved.

People watch what you do, they do not necessarily listen to what you say.

On leading by example.

There was no optimism in the country. It left a very deep impression on me and a determination to create something, to create opportunity, to create jobs.

On his recollection of the 1950s.

I think my biggest mistake, looking back, is that at certain stages I tended to accept the status quo.

On what he might have done differently.