Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the presentation and outline relating to the broadband plan. I am glad to see Fianna Fáil has copped on to what I was saying six months ago about this process. The reality is that the game is over regarding the broadband plan. I asked the Minister the question about SIRO's withdrawal at the press conference yesterday and he went off on a tangent talking about private companies and what they were doing. I know that and I told the Minister at the press conference yesterday that I am one of the beneficiaries of that in so far as the broadband service to my house on the edge of Portlaoise town has improved. I accept all that. I accept that on sections of the local roads - the Minister used the term "boreens" but it would be difficult to get to the boreens without going through the local roads first - Eir is improving broadband. However, it is the areas beyond those that I am concerned about, and I have raised that with the Minister from the first day he announced the allocation of €200,000. I welcome every house that is connected, as does the party I represent. The problem is that if there are 840,000 acres of land to be reclaimed and I am a contractor, Senator Michael McDowell is another contractor-----