Colm McCarthy has been appointed by Brian Lenihan to chair a group to examine the efficiency of State assets to see how they can be better used or sold off.
The group has already begun its work and will focus at the outset on assets and liabilities in the commercial State sector.
The review will see how the commercial semi-state sector can be best used to stimulate job creation and support economic recovery.
28 different semi-states are to be examined.
The privatisation of the ESB, CIÉ and An Post are to be considered in the review of State assets and liabilities.
Bord Gáis, RTÉ, TG4 and Bord na Móna are also on the list.
The group has been asked to provide an interim report to Mr Lenihan before the end of the year.
The other members of the group are Donal McNally, second secretary general of the Department of Finance, and Alan Matthews, Professor of European Agricultural Policy at Trinity College Dublin.
A preliminary list of the assets to be reviewed by the group is available on the Department of Finance website.
Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan has said there is no preordained view leading the review group.
Speaking to reporters at the Magill Summer School, he said it is not the preordained view or ideology that private ownership is good and public ownership is bad, or vice-versa.
