Fiona O'Malley (Progressive Democrats)

I am sure the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Finneran, will be just as interested in what I have to say. In this energy efficiency week it is important we turn down the air conditioning in the Chamber. It is very cold in here.

I am pleased to contribute to the debate. I welcome the motion tabled by the Labour Party. I agree with Senator O'Toole who expressed surprise that the Government has tabled an amendment. I do not think that is necessary. We are all on the same side in this area. We all recognise the need to move forward. It is a great tribute to the Minister that we recognise the personal commitment he has in this area. I heard praise from all sides for that commitment, which was evident in his contribution. I regret the Government chose to table an amendment because I do not think it is necessary.

Senator Hannigan indicated that what he hoped to get was a reiteration on the part of the Government of its commitment to the strategy. He got that. If that was the purpose of the motion, the Labour Party was successful in its aim. I do not know if the Government side intends to withdraw the amendment but it is not necessary to divide the House as there is no conflict between the positions of both sides.

The ideal would be 100% broadband coverage but as the Minister pointed out, not everybody has a computer anyway. That is another issue. It is one thing to have the infrastructure but it is another thing to have the hardware to access it. That is what we would aspire to.

I listened with great interest to what the Minister said about prioritisation, especially in rural areas, to maximise the benefit to the community, in particular in schools. That is a wise investment. Not alone does it pool the limited resource that is available but it does so for the greater good of the community. Not alone is one investing in schools, which are an important part of the community but also the students. It is important for them to be at the forefront of technology. The Minister alluded to the fact that the broadband speeds currently available were unimaginable two years ago. The rate of progress is very fast.

I do not have children but one can see how quickly they pick up new technologies and learn to use highly complex technical equipment. It is vital that children, especially in rural areas, have the same exposure to advanced technology as their counterparts in urban areas and other parts of the world. Given that we must order our priorities, it is good that schools are at the top of the list as it is an investment in the next generation. I welcome the work the Minister has done in that area.

Senator Hannigan referred to the 12,000 houses that remain without broadband access and the Minister responded to that point. Senator Ó Murchú referred to the constraints imposed by the EU on state aid, yet the European Union does provide us with the opportunity to access capital grants to ensure the final 12,000 houses will be provided with broadband access, in so far as that is possible. The cost of that provision cannot be ignored. Senator Hannigan indicated that the cost would be €10 million, which is no mean sum. We all know the value of a euro more now than we did six months or a year ago. We must assess what is the best way to use the limited resources we have. The Minister was given great credit for the work he has done since he became responsible for this area.

Senator Prendergast was criticised slightly for using figures from 2007, but they were the figures available to her. As more up-to-date figures become available, we must realise that it is a good news story that we need to sell it internationally. What is the point in politicians in this country doing ourselves down? We do not want the story that is picked up internationally to be that Ireland does not have a good telecommunications infrastructure. We need to sing from the same hymn sheet and provide an accurate and up-to-date message. The Minister is keen that the advances we have made are acknowledged. I accept the Opposition's view that the improvements have not come quickly enough and that there are complications in various places. That needs to be acknowledged. It is not easy to provide a new network throughout the country. Many speakers alluded to the difficulties in previous times in getting basic telephone equipment.

I was also interested in what the Minister said about the progress of the introduction of broadband infrastructure. As I understood it, we have gone from A to C, skipping the B phase and all the mistakes that could occur at that stage. For that reason we are making great progress and moving a lot more quickly in terms of getting up the scale. Senator Prendergast referred to our position internationally. However, we are making progress and, as the Minister said, we are no longer at the back of the pack; we are in the middle. I accept that the place to be is up at the front of the pack. That is something on which we are all in agreement.

In welcoming the debate I also pay tribute to the Minister for coming to the House to discuss the matter with us. It is important we keep on top of things. He would encourage further debate in six months' time. Progress is rapid in the area of new technology and it is important to keep abreast of the changes and to keep our information up to date.

I was also interested in what the Minister said about competition. It has delivered better results for us, but one cannot just leave matters to the market. We are a small, confined country and that does present its own challenges. That is especially the case in rural areas where the cost of providing broadband for that last mile of road is such a challenge. There is, and should be, a commitment on the part of Government to provide broadband access to everyone in the country. The Minister recommitted to that intention.