Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

It is normal in these matters to provide a six month period for producing business plans. I accept the Senator's point that the interim body has been up and running for some time, but there is a multiplicity of stakeholders whose views have to be heard. My officials feel strongly that three months would be too short a timeframe. The Communications Regulation Act, 2002, for example, shares the responsibility for the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation among three persons, as opposed to one. Although the existing ODTR structure was probably more advanced than the digital hub project is at present, a six month timelag was built into the Communications Regulation Act to allow for wide consultation. I can inform the Senator that I will accept his amendment No. 11.