Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

It is a competitive tendering process and the issue of tender documents is due on 28 April, as I said earlier at a committee meeting. I do not wish to be specific because I do not wish to restrict anything. In general, the principle is to have the same service as is available in the rest of the country.

I must revert to Deputy Stanton in respect of the penetration issue in terms of mobile providers. Up to the past month the OECD did not allow mobile figures to be included in penetration rates and this disadvantaged Ireland relatively because we have a high level of mobile penetration or mobile take-up compared to other countries. The size of households was another issue that disadvantaged us.

I must revert to Deputy Stanton in respect of updates on the price comparison website. The broadband for older people scheme is primarily an issue for the Department of Social and Family Affairs and I apologise for not being in a position to give more details. I will revert to the Deputy with specific details from the Department.

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