Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has said the use of proceeds from the sale of State assets will be up for negotiation with the European Union, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund next week.
Mr Noonan said it was the Government's aim to realise €2bn.
He said it was the Troika's intention that it should be used for debt reduction, but it was the Government's view that it should be used largely for job creation and capital projects.
Fianna Fáil's Michael McGrath pointed out that it was Government policy to introduce phased privatisation and that the proposal was not being enforced by the EU-IMF as per the memorandum of understanding.
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said it was the Government who wanted to privatise State assets and pass off the blame on the Troika.
He said the proceeds from the sale of part of the ESB - a plan that he branded 'deranged' - would be a drop in the ocean as regards the debt and asked what rationale there was for selling it.
Mr Noonan said there was a requirement by the European authorities and the IMF for the sale of State assets as part of the programme.
