Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

If the Deputy wishes to discuss a specific example with me now or in the future, I will happily do so, as it would be a matter of concern, but it is not happening in the case of Eircode or otherwise. Eircode is under the management and leadership of my Department. Its expenditure and so on can be scrutinised by this committee of the public accounts committee as appropriate.

As regards the broadband plan, I agree with Deputy Colreavy on servicing rural Ireland. That is what we are doing. Were we to leave this to the private sector, rural Ireland would not be serviced because there would be no profit to be made. There is a continuing debate on the State, its role and when it should intervene in economic matters, but this is a perfect example of a situation in which we should agree that there ought to be a robust State intervention-----