Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with other Senators who raised the beef issue. It is a major crisis and the Minister should be invited to come to the House to discuss it. The factories are behaving as a monopoly and the Minister has secured no new markets for live exports. He is failing in his duties as was highlighted by the demonstration on the streets of Dublin yesterday. We should have a debate on the issue in early course.

The other issue I wish to raise is the availability of broadband. It is a major issue. The European Commission states 97% of households and businesses have coverage, but what about the other 3%? The Government is doing nothing for these areas. Dial-up broadband is available in rural areas, but one cannot run a business with such a service. It is disgraceful and shameful that the Government, under the watch of the Minister, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, allowed the €13.5 million available from the European Commission for providing broadband for the 3% in rural areas exclusively such as those in my county not to be drawn down. I raised this matter on the Order of Business previously and the Minister was due to come to the House to explain his shortcomings. Three months later that has not happened. He must come to the House to explain why he is not rolling out broadband to rural dwellers across the country, given that every report from the European Commission shows that Ireland is the worst in the European Union in terms of the disparity in the availability of broadband between urban and rural areas. There is a divide and the issue is not being tackled.