Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. It is worth remembering the good and not-so-good things the ESB has done and is doing. It is great to have the ESB in terms of the social welfare schemes such as subsidised electricity and heating.

There is another issue. The ESB has tried a pilot scheme for broadband but it has not really worked. I offer the example of the town of Tuam, County Galway, an area I represent. The company had to abandon the scheme and we had to start all over again. Believe it or not, we had to wait for a water and sewerage scheme in Tuam before we could put the broadband cables underground. We should be careful about that. It is a little like the curate's egg - good in parts.

Reference was made to leaving everything to the ESB, but I do not believe we can do that. I applaud what the ESB has done but I advise caution as well. We cannot allow the company to do everything and I do not believe the company should be expected to do everything either. We need more investment and we need to see people working together.