Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

We need improvements on the interurban rail services. For example, the Galway to Dublin service was supposed to be an hourly service to allow people to put in a full business day in Dublin. For a trip from Galway to Wexford, for example, the only option is five hours by car, which is not good enough.

Air connections from the west to international destinations are critical. Shannon Airport has been allowed to be downgraded over time. Regional airports are at risk. The PSO will be critical after 2011 to maintain connectivity. What commitment will the Government make in that regard? There are major safety issues for regional airports. They eat up between one third and half of their budgets, as I know from having been on the board of Galway Airport.

Broadband is required, like the air we breathe, for business and leisure. It is very patchy and could solve the disadvantage and isolation of the area so that it would be just as attractive to do business in Bohola as in Ballsbridge. Some 25% of the rural areas in the region have no broadband access. The national broadband scheme proposes to roll out 1 gigabit, but that is only a fraction of what is needed. Business needs 10 gigabits. How can we be truly competitive without this?

As I lost much of my speaking time, I would like the Cathaoirleach to be generous with me on this point.