Joe O'Toole (Independent)

In addition, broadband is unavailable to half the country. It is very important to bear that in mind. Does anybody seriously believe that divesting the ESB of its network of wires and distribution will somehow create more competitiveness and make it cheaper for the consumer? When people in the trade union movement raise questions about this they come from bitter experience. I would like a debate on where we are going with regard to this issue. Members on the other side of the House have given serious thought to the subject and will be aware that one of the issues focused on in the White Paper on energy is security of supply. How does divesting the ESB of its distribution network create security of supply? This academic, theoretical model of competition, which we tried to apply to the two cases to which I referred, just does not work. I ask for a debate so that Members can give their honest views, based on their experience of what they have seen in other places. I do not have a problem if somebody can convince me this is the way to proceed. I am of the view that it is being done for academic and cosmetic reasons and in a way which indicates that we are doing it properly. As regards the latter, experience shows that the opposite is the case. This is not the way to go.