Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 4, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following:(2) “That this fibre optic cable shall not be privatised.”.

Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire arís. Cuireann Sinn Féin fáilte go ginearálta roimh an mBille agus síleann muid gur céim mhaith chun cinn í go bhfuil muid ag úsáid an ghréasáin leictreachais le cúrsaí leathanbhanda a thabhairt chun cinn. Cloisim ó mo chomhleacaí, Deputy Michael Colreavy, a bhfuil ról aige mar urlabhraí cumarsáide, gurb é ceann de na príomh smaointí a bhí aige ná go ndéanfaí rud cosúil le seo agus go bhfuil sé an-bhuíoch gur thóg an tAire ar bord na moltaí a rinne sé i leith seo. The Bill is very positive. It should ensure considerable improvements in the access of many people to broadband and should enhance the quality of life because of the issues that have arisen with the last mile of broadband from some of the companies that have been rolling out services to date. However, we still have reservations which is the reason we put forward this simple amendment which calls for the fibre optic cable not to be privatised.

I appreciate that the Minister has said it is not the intention of the Government to privatise the system but in order to copperfasten the position we should include the provision in the legislation to ensure that no Government can in future make such a change without going back to the Houses of the Oireachtas. One of the main reasons we have such a poor broadband infrastructure compared to our European neighbours is due to the fact that Telecom Éireann was privatised in the 1990s. Ireland is a small country and a national State provider such as Telecom Éireann was needed to provide the necessary infrastructure to extend the broadband network. That is partly the reason this solution has been sought. I am pleased the ESB is now coming on board to assist in the roll-out of broadband services as it has a relationship with every home in the country. I take the Minister at his word that it is not his intention personally at this stage that the system would be privatised but the position should be copperfastened in the legislation because we have seen what can happen when Ministers or an Administration change. I hope he will take the amendment on board which has been put forward in good faith.