Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)

I thank Deputy Martin Ferris and Sinn Féin for sharing time. I wish to use mine to highlight what happened in the past in the sale of State assets. The old Posts and Telegraph service which provided our telecommunications services was dead in the water. In 1983 when it was turned into a semi-State company, it improved in leaps and bounds as Telecom Éireann. The service was upgraded and Telecom Éireann workers worked on contracts in England and other parts of Europe. We finished up debt free and with one of the best networks in the world. The Government's coffers were receiving money from the semi-State company and the surplus was being used to fund upgrading. However, it was then sold.

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