Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Has the Minister of State asked the Government to give him money from the strategic investment fund? The fund always has to generate a commercial return but the basis of the WDC's venture capital fund is a commercial return. There are swings and roundabouts. One wins some and one loses some but one can win big. Will the State stop always thinking in billions of euro for cities and thinking in thousands of euro for rural areas? Will the Government realise that, despite perceptions, rural Ireland gets the thin of the wedge financially under many schemes?

Does the Minister of State agree that two issues relating to broadband need to be addressed in the context of rural Ireland? Fibre, not some radio solution, must be provided to every premises in the country. A scheme is being developed in France - which, therefore, must comply with state-aid regulations - where, in areas of difficult topography in which telecommunications companies do not provide 100% coverage, the state will provide the basic infrastructure, such as the towers, and connect it before letting it out to the companies, which will then put the equipment in the towers and provide the service. Unfortunately, because of the licensing agreement in this State, telecommunications companies only have to cover 27% of the landmass and do not have to provide 100% coverage. Would the Minister be willing to ensure universal coverage in that way?