Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

We are back to the issue of broadband again. Why did the Minister believe it was appropriate to appoint an independent advisory forum to advise him on his own policy paper when we could have debated it here in the House? The Opposition tabled a motion on broadband for that very purpose. The Minister said at the time that he supported a serious non-party political debate on the issue. That very week he gave his policy paper to an independent forum he had set up, yet he did not consider it sufficiently important to allow the House to debate the issue. Why did he make that decision?

My understanding is that following the forum consultation process, there will be another period of consultation with stakeholders. Will the Minister set out the timeframe for that consultation? When will we see publication of the up-to-date report and for how long does the Minister plan to provide, in terms of weeks or months, for the consultation period with stakeholders?

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