Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to make a few observations because this is not necessarily my area of expertise. Eir's shareholders are designed to get out every few years and renegotiate. I am not surprised by that because when Eir plagiarised the murmuration of starlings to use in its advertising I knew we were dealing with people who really could negotiate. The ESB is a very well run company and very well respected. However, it is the third most expensive power company of the EU's 27 member states. Maybe it should spend its money figuring out how to drive down the cost of power which would be good for Ireland, industry and entrepreneurs rather than spending it on telecoms.

On Enet, it is a truly public-private partnership. It has spent €100 million since it came to Ireland and last year it provided fibre to more premises in three months than SIRO has since its inception. The reason I mention this is because I think there might be a diamond left here. There is a majesty about being the last man standing. The last man standing is Mr. McCourt. He is a wonderful media, telecoms and technological pioneer. He is the owner of Enet. I have read a lot about him in siliconrepublic.com. There was a brilliant write-up about our national broadband, the Irish Government and what will happen next. The whole thing was very well done by Mr. John Kennedy. Mr. McCourt is an entrepreneur with extraordinary skills and accolades. He is also part of Granahan McCourt and chairs Satellite Holdings, LLC. He is understood to be collaborating with Warren Buffett.

I say all this because sometimes the last man standing is probably the best. I have very little faith in Eir as an ordinary person with a telephone in my house. The ESB is far too expensive and together with SIRO, has got out of the bidding process. Eir is out. Enet has been left standing and I think Mr. McCourt is the man for the job. It is just an observation.

I know there has been an impasse and the situation is difficult. We are trying to get broadband across the country. I suggest that Senators read siliconrepublic.comand learn about the person who is going to take over, in whom I have absolute faith.

I will take up what Senator O'Reilly said. I would like to hear whether the original price of the procurement will remain the same as Enet had in the beginning. It comes with great faith and without a legacy. As Mr. McCourt said:

If the competition is non-political [which it is now] we have a good chance. We are in the business of doing exactly what the National Broadband Plan sets out to do and we have perfected the partnership model.

He also said:

A little-known fact is that Berkshire Hathaway has never sold a company it has bought, ever. It invests in good companies and keeps them for the long run. ... We are a 100pc wholesale open-access player focused on the long term.

Senator Leyden should listen to that.

He said he keeps the company for the long run and does not sell it overnight when nobody is looking. This is a majestic diamond. I wish the Minister luck in negotiating with Enet. I think it is going to be excellent. It has been a tough impasse for the Government, but the outcome and result with Mr. David McCourt will be excellent.