Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)

Abbott Ireland has been a great employer, providing the type of high-end biomedical jobs Ireland is supposed to be attracting but is instead losing as our competitiveness declines. The deficit in broadband services is one of the road blocks to competitiveness. Ireland languishes behind other countries in league tables of broadband penetration. This and the slow speed of broadband services here affects our ability to attract high-tech industries. Recently, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Eamon Ryan, diverted €10 million of the funding allocated for broadband investment to the budget for the greener homes scheme. This sends out the wrong signal.

Tackling competitiveness should be an urgent priority in budget 2008. I hope the Minister for Finance heeds the motion.

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