I have said on many occasions that questions about the future ownership of commercial State companies fall to be determined on a case by case basis in the context of developments in their main business areas.
The following is the position in relation to the commercial State companies under my aegis. In regard to the Córas Iompair Éireann group of companies, the consultation paper entitled A New Institutional and Regulatory Framework for Public Transport was published by the Government in September 2000. It sets out a number of proposals in relation to the restructuring of the CIE companies including the possible privatisation of the bus companies. These proposals are currently the subject of consultation with the public transport partnership which was established under the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.
Under the terms of the Government's decision of 23 February 1999, Irish National Petroleum Corporation initiated an extensive search process to identify business development opportunities to underpin the operation of the Whitegate refinery.