Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

On the broad strategic approach, I make reference to the network operators. The infrastructure is strange because one wants the process to be both collaborative and competitive.

One wants that competitive tension so companies are forced to make investments for fear that their competitors will take the market from them. At the same time, one wants it to be collaborative with a shared infrastructure. The national broadband plan was designed with such an approach. It uses National Broadband Ireland. It is open access and all other retailers will use it. It works in collaboration with Eir in making ready and using its poles. It will also be collaborating with the ESB and will use some of its network. The solution to the problems the Deputy rightly identifies in Stamullen and elsewhere will be further collaboration and co-operation to make sure that it is universal and that we go the extra hundred yards so we do not leave houses behind. It will take some time. The national broadband plan will, as everyone knows, take a number of years but that collaborative approach will get us that 100% coverage.

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