Shane Ross (Independent)

It is all very well for spokesman after spokesman to state we are well positioned for the next upturn — this is a kind of mantra one hears from every company in trouble. It is an untruth. We are not well positioned for the next upturn. If we do not have broadband, for which I do not care whether the Government gets the money from current or capital expenditure, or whether from borrowing, we will not be positioned at all for the next upturn and we will be on a downward slide where our competitors will overtake us in Europe and overseas. Let us get a commitment from the Government that, whatever happens, investment in that element of infrastructure is sacrosanct and will be maintained. Otherwise we will be on an inexorable slide and the Celtic tiger will be a distant memory.