Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Economic Management Council has a duty to consider some of the major implications in terms of infrastructure that we have to look at for the next number of years. For instance, what does one do in terms of financing broadband for the country outside the cities and bigger towns? How does one do that? Is it to be by private contractors? Is it to be by the ESB being able to form a company or a relationship with a supply company and bring it in on the wires? What is the duty of the State in terms of providing its contribution to this where commercial companies might not go? If we are serious about providing broadband throughout the country, how is that connectivity to be provided: PPP, direct build, commercial entities or the State? Is that, for instance, to be considered for some of the funding that may come from the Juncker investment scheme?

The same applies in the case of social housing. The Government has put up €2.2 billion in this respect. Is there an opportunity for further funding, for PPP investment, for social housing? These are matters that need to be considered and reflected on.

For instance, what does one do with the remainder of the share that Ireland holds in Bank of Ireland? We put in €4 billion; we have got back €6 billion. That is a profit for the taxpayer. The Minister is very clear, in that he is not going to sell the shares in Bank of Ireland, yet we own the vast majority of AIB, as the Deputy is aware. How does one value that? What does one want to do with it? Does one make a decision to test its value by putting up a portion of it for analysis and, if so, how? These are the bigger matters that need to be considered in the interests of the country, and it is right and proper that things of that scale should be considered by the Economic Management Council.

In regard to Irish Water, the Economic Management Council did not go through all of the details. It has had the 34 local authorities, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Irish Water itself, the regulator and so on. Each of these has its own responsibilities and its own matters to attend to. The Deputy seems to assume that the Economic Management Council was involved in tightening every jubilee clip and handling every monkey wrench that went out to put in meters.

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