Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Senator McDowell and I were in the Seanad with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, so we have been in both places.

My question relates to postal costs. Has ComReg disengaged from the control of the price of stamps? Has that gone back directly to An Post? I disagree with the increase of the standard stamp to €1. It is a high price and the law of diminishing marginal returns could apply in the sense that the more we charge, the less we get back. The cost of postage is expensive. The company is certainly faces challenges from the private sector.

My next question relates to maintenance of the landlines that used to belong to Eircom and the old Department of Post and Telegraphs. I presume Eir is still responsible for the maintenance of those lines, even those other private companies are making offers and so on with those lines. Is that correct? The idea of having a telephone in the house is coming to an end as far as I can see. Most places do not have telephones aside from mobile telephones.

My final question relates to the use of infrastructure for land lines and poles throughout Ireland. Can fibre-optic cable be stretched from those poles, as opposed to being laid underground? Is it simply impractical? I realise that copper wire can bring broadband but it does not rate with the fibre-optic option.