Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join in the congratulations extended to our colleague and friend, Senator Joe O'Reilly, and his elevation to the position of vice president of the Council of Europe. He will bring a wonderful demeanour, huge expertise and a very high calibre to that role. We wish him every success. It is a tremendous honour for him, his family, for Cavan and for the Oireachtas that he has been elected to that position. Congratulations to him.

I thank the 13 Members of the House for the their contributions on the Order of Business. Nine members, Senators Mark Daly, Gavan, Joe O'Reilly, Leyden, Ó Clochartaigh, Wilson, Lombard, Mulherin and Ó Domhnaill raised issues almost stretching from the Old Testament to the New Testament about the need for broadband and it is perhaps apt on Lá Fhéile Bhríde, on the first day of spring which is a day of hope and renewal, that we commit, as the Minister, Deputy Naughten, has done to the provision of broadband. We would all agree that we have been waiting far too long for broadband but as Senator Mulherin rightly said, which has been lost by some Members opposite, the provision of high speed broadband increased from 51%, 19 months ago, to 71% and to 77% by the end of the year in many parts of the country. As Senator Mulherin said, 300 farms per week are receiving high speed broadband. A point on which I agree completely with Senator Gavan is that we sold off Eircom on day 1 and it has been asset stripped since then. Therein lies part of the problem in terms of the issue we face today. I am glad Senator Wilson has belatedly come to the table to recognise the importance of what we have just said.