John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I also request the Minister to remove the section as were the worst anxieties realised, it would be unthinkable. Over the past couple of centuries, the postal service has built up the best possible locations for its business, including a national monument in the form of the General Post Office in O'Connell Street. It is unthinkable that anyone could have immediate access to such an institution. This goes right through every city and town in the country. I refer to the post offices at the bottom of Oliver Plunkett Street and Winthrop Street in Cork or on Liberty Square, which is right on the bull's-eye in the main centre of Thurles. The same is true for villages, towns and cities nationwide. Consequently, it would be unthinkable, were the worst fears realised. Moreover, it would be against all normal competition. The ESB has not been obliged to provide its facilities to Airtricity or Bord Gáis, except for the actual mains network, which eventually will be independently owned. However, it certainly does not allow other entities enter its head office. One of the most dangerous parts of this proposal refers to "or arrangements made with others for the provision of any service". What business would hand over its database or information regarding companies with which it is doing business? This would be unthinkable in this context. Even if such new independent operators reached the level one wished them to have, they still would have the database and the best information. In the context of cherry-picking, one certainly would find it in this regard. We are leaving ourselves wide open and I ask the Minister to consider deleting this section.