Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

That is a "No" so I take it the Government will not consider trying to buy back the Eircom network should it structurally split from the existing company. I accept the Minister's arguments on the advantages of functional separation versus structural separation. In fact, in the UK functional separation has unbundled local loops to quite a successful degree. However, is there not the same rationale with regard to the ESB's relationship with EirGrid and the ownership of the electricity grid in terms of the argument for functional separation versus full structural split when dealing with the ownership of assets? This is not directly connected to the question being discussed but there is similar thinking from a policy point of view.

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