Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

Does the Minister of State not accept that the State's broadband coverage is shameful and as a result the Government has decided to privatise Eircom? In the Six Counties, 100% broadband saturation has been reached, compared with the figures of 1.7% coverage in the Twenty-six Counties last year.

The European Commission recently criticised Ireland for being one of the slowest movers in the provision and usage of Internet technology. If the Government is committed to the idea of a knowledge-based economy why is broadband take-up in Ireland among the lowest in the European Union?

The Minister of State puts it down to lack of competition but are we not awaiting the goodwill of private companies and relying on private investors? If the Government had held on to the Eircom shares it could have invested those hundreds of millions of euro that went to private speculators.

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