Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I was a councillor on Dublin City Council in the late 1990s. From memory I think the local authority set up such a collaborative system as it was tired of private operators digging up the streets one after the other. I recall when many of the bus lanes were being implemented that ducting was installed at that time. This is done on an open access basis. Those arrangements are made on a local authority basis. The local authorities realise now that economic development and progress in their own areas requires good broadband connectivity and therefore it is a matter for telcos to negotiate with a local authority. They will have to do a deal with each local authority in turn but by and large, if a telco is prepared to provide fibre access into an area this can only be good for economic development in a local area across a range of activities. Most local authorities are aware of the benefits of this infrastructure and will facilitate a flexible approach with network operators. Existing legislation provides for this and this provision will weave in with it.

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