Mr. Pat Galvin:

I wish to reassure Deputy Harrington about the role of the fixed wire because it is a significant issue in rural areas where companies have invested in services in some communities which may not necessarily be available in other communities. The important point about the national broadband scheme is that it is a wholesale initiative, in other words, the company that wins the contract for the scheme will be obliged to make the service available to a whole range of resellers at retail level. I suspect the company awarded the contract will want to do this in any case. This presents wireless operators with an opportunity to expand their businesses. The model is similar to that which I described in response to an earlier question where the Eircom network is being made available on a wholesale level to a range of operators at retail level. I expect this requirement is one of the rules on state aid and it is a matter on which the Government will focus.