Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The two questions are connected. I had a considerable battle to get the money to roll out high-speed broadband across the second level schools. The capital cost is being borne by my Department. We are also bearing the current cost in the year of installation and for a year thereafter. I certainly do not have the resources to perform a similar role for the primary schools.

Deputy Lawlor and I might have an interesting discussion at another time about whether this facility is as badly needed in primary schools as it is in second level schools. In any event, his question is connected to that raised by Deputy Murphy about the general quality and availability of broadband throughout the country. We have had the last meeting of the task force, which I have chaired, between representatives of telecommunications companies and the relevant senior people in my Department. The purpose of that report is to address Ireland's competence in next generation access. As a result of that report, I will be required to bring a plan before the Government that devises a roadmap for the future in this critical area, highlighting where there is robust competition and adequate, acceptable high quality connectivity, and where there is not. I hope to pick up some of the concerns of both Deputies in that context.

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