Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

Committee Stage of the Communications Regulation (Premium Rates Services) Bill 2009, will be debated tomorrow by the Select Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The Minister added a section in the explanatory memorandum dealing with the opening of ducts in roads for telephone companies, telcos. The Minister did not make provision for this in the Bill and he told the select committee that he would propose an amendment to this effect. He sent us a copy of the amendment. It emerged that he did not have Cabinet approval for the amendment. To facilitate the progress of Committee Stage, Deputy Coveney and I have tabled the amendment in our names. Did the amendment receive sanction at today's Cabinet meeting so that we can proceed tomorrow, because ironically our amendment has been ruled out of order as not germane to the Bill?

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