Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I understand people's frustration, including that of the Minister and the officials, regarding this broadband plan. What we must do is get it right. It is allowing the people who live in the 100 houses at Gleann Alainn to be able to have high-speed broadband so they can do what Senator Kieran O'Donnell spoke about, namely, take a day to work from home, put on Netflix and so on. That is why it is so important. It is about investing and getting it right.

If we want to have an honest conversation about where we stand, then the asset stripping of Eircom is a fundamental question that Fianna Fáil Members must address. They should look into their hearts and ask why Eircom was sold off and who benefited from the sale and from the asset stripping down the years. Look at what we have today: an ambitious plan by Government. Of course, we would all like to have multiple competitors willing to invest but we have an independent tendering process. If we did not have it, the Members opposite would come in here waving the Order Paper and calling for all kinds of tribunals. However, we do have it. We have a Minister and a Government willing to try to bring high-speed broadband to every home and then, as a consequence, into every community, so that we can create jobs.

Next Friday, we will announce the national development plan. Although I know the Senator does not like good news-----