Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Since Eir has dropped out as a bidder there has been much wringing of hands, not in woe but in glee, by the Opposition. This is too serious to be a political football. I must also correct Senator Leyden on a point of fact, the great national broadband scheme that Fianna Fáil implemented was an absolute failure and a waste of money. That scheme was rolled out to many electoral districts near where I live, including Attymass, which was identified as needing State intervention. The measure of success was that if one house in the electoral district could be said to be connected, the rest were deemed to have access if they chose to have it. In reality, however, one could have been connected up and had access but all the other houses might not. There might be a drumlin between one house and another. That was the national broadband scheme that Fianna Fáil presided over, which Senator Leyden was praising. He should come down to Mayo where I will introduce him to all the people who were given false promises by Fianna Fáil.