Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Correct. Let me inform the House that 1.73 million people have access to broadband, which represents an increase of 2.2%, and 1.43 million, or 87.4% of those, have access to fixed broadband. We are all conscious of the fact that there is a group of people who have poor broadband or no broadband at all. Under the national broadband plan, the Government is committed to delivering broadband, but it is important we understand that there are parts of rural Ireland where the procurement and installation of broadband will raise a significant challenge because of the remoteness of those areas. We cannot deny that. As politicians, we need to stop being populist about everything and instead be real with people.

I would be happy to have Senator Higgins's Bill accepted today. I congratulate her on the matter and look forward to having a debate on it. The Bill, to be fair to the Senator, has much merit. We might not all agree on everything in it, but there is a lot that is positive in the Bill. I hope the Government will support it. I will certainly advocate for it. Again, we have this illusion that the lowest price paid for everything represents the best option when that is not the case. We need to have that conversation as well, and I look forward to a debate in the House in that regard and thank the Senator for raising the matter.

Senator Ó Ríordáin raised the very important issue of school places for special needs children and young children on the autism spectrum. Students are falling between both parts of the education system, and services need to be improved. I would very much welcome a debate on this and will be happy to facilitate it.

Senators Ó Ríordáin and Craughwell referred to the FAI and corporate governance, if I may use that phrase. I note that the Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport met this morning and I think it is now 10 April that Sports Ireland and, subsequently, the FAI will come before the committee. I would be happy to have the Minister come to the House to have a debate on corporate governance and value for money in sport. I will make one comment to Senator Ó Ríordáin in response to his comment on the withholding of funding. I served on the marketing committee of Croke Park and I was a chairman of my own club and a county board officer. In withholding money, one penalises the grassroots of the FAI, the men and women, the volunteers in particular, and those who work at low-paid-----