Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)

I accept the chief executive officers of the main telecommunications companies do not wish another semi-State company. I suggest the establishment of a semi-State company which would wholesale fibre capacity. There are five State-owned fibre networks and if these were amalgamated, this would provide a key back bone structure. I ask the Minister to consider this suggestion. This would allow fibre to be brought to more peripheral parts of the country. Without the basic fibre infrastructure, these communities will never be able to have high speed broadband access.

I ask the Minister to intervene with EirGrid to ensure that when it is rolling out the high-tension cables across the country, it would include unlit fibre which could be accessed by this new semi-State holding company so that these communities benefit from access to high speed broadband rather than just having to look at these pylons as they go across their communities.

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