Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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We will see. As far as Eir is concerned, one must bear in mind that the company has been asset stripped for so long. It has been kicked around, bought over, unfortunately sold by the State and then asset stripped. I was a Minister of State in the Department at one time. We had built up the telecommunications system. Pádraig Faulkner was the Minister who brought in the digital system. In fairness, he was a very progressive Minister. He was followed by Albert Reynolds and others. The point was at that stage we put massive investment, approximately €1 billion, into building infrastructure and accommodation. Now the people who work for Eir go around in their vans. They do not have any place to go. They do not have depots. The Minister expects Eir to solve the entire problem, yet it is under questionable financing at the moment. The company could be on the market in the morning. We do not know. There is no continuity.

I would have much more faith in the Electricity Supply Board or SIRO to provide that service. The Minister might explain to this House and to the people what exactly is happening with the tendering project. I know the Department is highly sensitive about previous tendering and that it is making it so careful and transparent because it does not want to have another inquiry. I presume people in the Department are running away from that situation. I do not know how much information they can give the Minister or what they can divulge in this particular regard but there is an opportunity for the Minister to make a comprehensive statement on the withdrawal of SIRO from the tendering process, and how that will affect the outcome. Given that the Minister is in charge of the ESB, is there any way he can persuade the company to review the decision?