Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

I agree with Deputy Penrose's suggestion regarding the inclusion of county managers and other development officers on trade missions, having been on many such trips in the past five years, and I will convey it to the Minister. The roll-out of broadband has not been quick enough and it has been held up for reasons we all know. However, moves have been afoot since before the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources took office to roll out the network so that we achieve parity in this regard with other member states.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment is doing an excellent job promoting industry throughout the world. He is not at fault for the change in the building industry. Anybody who made predictions on housing output referred to a maximum of between 55,000 and 60,000 units to meet demand. Housing output reached 90,000 units and it was logical that at some stage developers would hit the wall and they would have to pull back when supply exceeded demand.

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