Ms Carolan Lennon:

On the USO to provide voice services, it is an historical service that has been available in the market for years. It was set up, probably during the era of Telecom Éireann, when it had a monopoly. To be quite honest, I believe it is ridiculous in this day and age to spend money to provide telephone books and telephone boxes. It costs us €10 million per year to provide them. If the State wishes to keep the USO to provide voice services, it must be remembered that ours is the only utility to which it applies. If a person wants to have an electricity supply in a remote location, he or she must pay the bill. We have told the regulator that the USO is fine but that Eir will pay the bill for its market share - 50% - and that other operators, the customers of which benefit from the service, should pay their share. I believe that is completely reasonable.