Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Last week I asked the Taoiseach about advertisements placed in the national media by the cross-departmental team. The Taoiseach responded to the effect that the advertisements were placed for public information and not propaganda purposes. He said if those who designed the advertisements felt they should include a Department's title, a logo or a photograph, that was all right but they should not be used for anything else and should be seen as public information rather than a means of promoting somebody.

That is fair, but I have in my hand the programme for the advertisement for the national development plan. It includes a fine picture of the Minister for Finance and the headline: "Government implements the national development plan." That amounts to promotion rather than public information. Indeed, it can be questioned whether the Government is implementing the national development plan, in view of the regional spending disparities. Does the Taoiseach have a view on these fine pictures?

On the cross-departmental committee on infrastructure and public private partnership, one of the fundamental failures of Government has been its inability to create access to broadband. People who come to Ireland from the US and all over Europe, as well as people in business in the State, are unable to gain access to the broadband communication system. Northern Ireland now has 100% coverage. Has the cross-departmental team discussed local loop unbundling and the obstacles put deliberately in the way of access for businesses and the public to a facility which is, as the Taoiseach said, as important as electricity was many years ago? Will the Taoiseach indicate when we can expect 100% broadband coverage?

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