Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There was a move to sell Coillte to the private sector but, in fairness to the former Minister, Pat Rabbitte, he was able to ensure that access to woods, walkways and tourism projects was retained in public ownership. To my knowledge, he prevented the sale of Coillte. That is very important. State and semi-State companies provide a very good service to the State.

The Minister has a very complex portfolio, so I will limit my contribution to a number of general points. I refer to the roll out of broadband. When I was a Minister in the former Department of Posts and Telegraphs, it was very difficult to provide certain rural areas with a telephone service. I considered whether the existing poles could be used to carry insulated wiring and so on. The Minister has access to expert advice, what role, if any, has it in this regard?

Some years ago, there was an attempt to roll out broadband by using the infrastructure of CIE. There was a proposal to bring the wires along the railway tracks and that option was researched. To bring it to our area, I recall the installation of a very expensive circuit in Roscommon town to bring broadband to the town. Who owns that? The Minister has indicated his Department owns that, which is good.That is the Minister's Department.

We are provided with an excellent service here by the Oireachtas with regard to our offices in our own constituencies, counties or whatever it is. However, it did not use a roll-out. It used Eircom, or Eir, to bring that about through the copper wire system. The Minister has an office on Abbey Street and I have an office on Goff Street. It should have been provided through the system that was provided by the State. It is very difficult. The Minister probably has the answers there. I believe the Minister has the capacity to get this done one way or another.

I can see the Minister's point on the capital costs of this whole situation, the cost of running it and getting it done. Particularly now, with the position of Brexit and the British exit of the EU looking like a reality, never before has the roll-out of broadband been so urgent. It is absolutely vital that we have fast broadband to get in touch with the other 27 member states to sell our produce at home and abroad. Never before has it been more vital that the island of Ireland and all of its rural areas is connected to the world. It is absolutely essential. That is why it is the most essential of all of the Minister's responsibilities. Each one of his portfolios is vital to the interests of the State, including climate change and the whole question of renewable energy. We will park the question of broadband. The Minister has outlined his decision and the Government's decision, which he received yesterday. I certainly would not impede his work in any way in that regard. Let us get on with it, get it started and get it done one way or another. There have been too many false dawns.

I outlined the programme regarding the CIE investment. We then found that it was undermining some of the lines. There was an inquiry carried out. That inquiry was terminated at one stage, as I recall, and there were many repercussions in that regard. As far as I know, the ESB got involved in this area. The strange thing about it was that An Post was involved back in the 1980s and it sold off a wing. It had an involvement with the Internet but it decided to terminate that type of investment at the time. That was a very poor decision. To my mind, Eircom, which would have been ideal had it been in existence, would have rolled out broadband ten years ago if it had been under public ownership. However, we have to go from here. We are where we are at the moment.

On the issue of climate change, the Minister made the point that he will be taking over responsibility for investment. I do not think he will be taking over responsibility for the environmental proposals around the distance between solar-powered or earth energy generators and residences. The Minister has received a communication from our friend in Sliabh Bán, Mr. Mike de Jong. He has outlined his concerns, as he has done in the past. It is a local issue.

There was a recent flash flood in Curraghroe in County Roscommon. The Minister has looked at that situation and he may be in a position to say whether it is in any way linked to the erection of the wind energy pylons in Sliabh Bán. I believe the Minister would have reservations, as I have, about those wind turbines being erected very close to houses at Sliabh Bán, which is a beautiful tourist area. That project is under way at the moment. In fairness, I do not think the Minister is in a position to change that. However, the issues raised should be investigated to see if there is any link between the work that is under way and the flooding of that particular area. That is a point made by Mr. de Jong, who has been advocating on this issue for a long time and is very concerned. There are also concerns in Dysart.

There is another point in this regard which the Minister may be able to answer. I know that the Minister has to have-----