Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

Regarding the end of the group broadband scheme, is the Minister telling us today that people in rural areas without the capacity to connect to broadband will have no Government sponsored or supported scheme to help them connect to broadband until the national broadband scheme is in place, which the Minister has advised will be some time after 2008? For the next 18 months people can have no aspiration to gain broadband in their homes or businesses if they cannot currently get it. The Government has nothing to offer to people for the next 18 months to two years until the new national broadband scheme is in place.

See this speech in context