Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I would not do it at all now. I would have to find some other way of doing it. I do not wish to bore Senators, but all languages have words and phrases that are borrowed from other languages. For example, in Irish we use the words buneagar, bunstruchtúr and infreastruchtúr. We should be relatively careful in decrying such borrowing because words like café and rapporteur are now considered part of the English language and we use them all the time. We are always borrowing words from one language and using them in another. We do not want Irish to be swamped by borrowed words but all languages are made up of such words. An interesting example is the word athair or father. Apparently the Celts could not pronounce the letter "p" and, as a result, pater became athair. That word is a borrowing in itself so borrowing from Latin and other languages did not begin today or yesterday. While we should be careful, it is a question of balance. Sauna is a Finnish word and there are plenty of other examples, even in English.

Broadband is of vital importance and it will either become the great divider or, if we can get it into rural areas, the great leveller. The CLÁR programme is geared towards the increased provision of wireless and other types of broadband. Most parts of the country now have fibre optic cables underground, including Mayo and Donegal. The other big objective is to get this fibre lit and accessible to the public. The Government is committed to doing so.

Gabhaim buíochas le hoifigí na Ranna a réitigh an Bille. Rinneadh cúpla leasú air sa Dáil, ceann molta ag an bhFreasúra agus ceann a mhol mé féin. Rinneadh dréachtú an-mhaith ar an mBille in achar an-ghairid agus tá fadhb a bhí ann leigheasaithe anois. Ní hamháin sin ach tá deis againn anois dul ar aghaidh agus na haerstráicí a thógáil ar na hoileáin.

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leat, a Chathaoirligh, as do chathaoirleacht ar an Seanad.

Question put and agreed to.

Sitting suspended at 2.45 p.m. and resumed at 4p.m.