Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It feels like I am getting a bit of a lecture. However, it sounds as if the lecturer did not listen to or hear what I said in my introductory remarks. I said that I thoroughly welcomed this legislation and that it is something I had put forward myself some 18 months ago. I said I had proposed just two amendments to the legislation. On one of these, I accepted the Minister's contention that my amendment should not have been in primary legislation. On the amendment we are discussing now, I have accepted the bona fides of the Minister and that he has no intention of selling the network infrastructure. Unless, however, the word "selling" is removed from the Bill or a clause is inserted to specify that the infrastructure cannot be sold, any future Minister could sell that infrastructure. That is why it is so important this amendment be made.

I have no intention of trying to block the passage of the legislation but I feel passionately that this amendment needs to be made and that the legislation would be better and stronger if it were made. Perhaps Deputy Coffey now understands why I will be calling a vote on this proposed amendment.

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