Recommendations of the McCarthy Report:
ESB transmission grid including the high-voltage system in NI should be transferred to EirGrid and retained in public ownership
ESB should be required to dispose of further generating capacity in Ireland
ESB’s energy supply business, electricity distribution business, generation assets, international investment and consulting and engineering business should be sold as a single asset.
Bord Gáis regulated transmission and interconnector assets should be retained in state ownership.
State owned ports should be restructured into several competing multi-port companies, built around Dublin, Cork and Shannon Foynes
The privatisation of some ports should be considered
Bord na Móna should be disposed of as a single entity
State should initiate the disposal of Coillte’s forest and non-forest assets
DAA should dispose of its non-core assets
Government should consider merging Irish air navigation operations with NATS
CIE tours business, Rosslare port, expressway and other bus businesses competing with private operators should be disposed of
Open competition for new seven year licence for National Lottery
National Stud should be disposed of
Horse Racing Ireland should dispose of racecourse interests if commercially satisfactory terms become available
The Government sell its 25 per cent stake in Aer Lingus when such a move is practical
The privatisation of all or part of Dublin Bus should be considered but only after the Government has decided on a model for competition in the market
The 7 per cent of the licence fee which currently goes to the Broadcasting Fund should be increased substantially