Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

The main reason for that downturn is that we are not progressing with a further stage of investment in the metropolitan area networks. This is a policy with which Fine Gael agreed. That took up some €200 million over recent years. The reason for the reduction in the budget is that the programme is being reviewed. I do not see the budget cuts impacting on our ambitions in broadband development elsewhere. I recognise that our role is to intervene where the market cannot deliver, but the market also has a key role. The industry is spending around €725 million this year on next generation broadband.

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