The Government is likely to look at introducing employee share option plans (ESOPs) in several State companies in the future, the secretary-general of the Department of Public Enterprise has said. In addition to ESOPs, Mr Loughrey said the Government would increasingly look at joint ventures at many State companies, with a drive for competitiveness at the heart of strategy.

Speaking at the same conference, the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, said the public service element of Partnership 2000 could "unravel" if certain public service groups seek to go outside "established cost parameters".