Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

On the same issue, I agree with the Minister's last comments. The State's job is to facilitate competition in this area and, where there is market failure, to subsidise where necessary. By doing things such as building regulations to require ducting into every house and business that is being built in the country, we facilitate competition. By setting up an audit to maximise existing infrastructure, we facilitate a more proactive, aggressive and competitive market place, which is what consumers and business people want. In areas where there may be market failure, and where we are applying the national broadband strategy, will whoever wins the tender process for the national broadband strategy be required to provide next generation access to rural parts of the country or will it be the speeds that we are embarrassed about in Ireland?

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