Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

If the Minister is continually highlighting the issue of open access, one must inquire as to why he is not making it happen. The Minister has been in office for a number of years and he understands the telecommunications market quite well. He refers to the need for open access to infrastructure but on each occasion he is asked this question he states that ComReg, in the context of its regulatory functions, is independent. That is true. However, ComReg is not responsible for setting policy and this is a policy issue. A policy decision regarding whether ComReg will independently require the owners of ducting or fibre infrastructure to make such infrastructure available - in the interests of competition - to other operators for their use is going to be required.

I presume the Minister is familiar with the position in France and the success that has been achieved as a result of ducting infrastructure being opened up to competition on a national basis. What happened in France has promoted competition, brought about reduced prices and improved services. That is the kind of model I would like to be implemented in Ireland through an independent regulator. However, ComReg cannot make the decision to implement it. A Minister must give a policy direction to an independent regulator to implement it.

It is disingenuous for the Minister to state that there are 87 metropolitan area networks available for use in this country, particularly when he is aware that a significant percentage of these do not even have backhaul capacity. Some of them are mere fibre rings - for which the taxpayer has footed the bill - which were laid around certain towns but which are not connected to a backhaul infrastructure.

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