Joe O'Toole (Independent)

The final point made by Senator Brian Hayes, which was important, brings me to the point I wanted to raise. Is the Leader prepared to arrange an open discussion in this House on the operation of the free market? I was flabbergasted yesterday to hear two decent people — Senator Leyden and a Fine Gael Senator — arguing that the decision to cut off Smart Telecom's customers was appalling, unfair and should not have been allowed to happen. They said the Government should intervene. I thought we had that debate five or six years ago, when Eircom was privatised. Perhaps the Minister can explain it further. We knew what was going to happen. We explained to people that there would not be broadband in Belmullet and that they could not expect to get any additional help from the State. I would like Members to understand that those who invest in Babcock & Brown by buying shares in that company — the investors could be from anywhere — do not really care whether a small business in south Dublin or a domestic household in Athlone will suddenly lose their service. That is what it is about. I would say that it is close to hypocrisy if I did not know that those who raised the issue yesterday did so with the best of intentions. I do not accuse them of that at all. We need to understand how the system works.