Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I am glad another Member has joined us. I largely agree with what the Minister said on this issue. The most important aspect is for us to be able to ensure for the future that we have a network that is open and neutral in terms of allowing access to the existing infrastructure to enhance telecommunications capacity.

I understand that Eircom favours a full structural split between its network and its retail arm. If that is the case, does the Minister consider there is a potential opportunity for the State to buy back an asset that potentially it should not have sold in the first place? When he was in opposition he was critical of the sale of it in terms of ensuring open and neutral access to the network or is he satisfied that a properly regulated marketplace can sufficiently sweat the asset when there is no retail arm to influence Eircom's policy in terms of allowing open access onto the network? Does he agree that access to the Eircom network has improved significantly in the past 12 months, even though until then it was a significant problem in terms of unbundling local loops and so on?

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