Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Dooley for sharing time. It is always good to have the Minister of State in the House. I cannot think of a better person in Leinster House to be dealing with these kinds of topics. He is particularly familiar with this area and brings much of his expertise to it. I certainly welcome that.

I certainly welcome the enforcement regime involving ComReg. So many consumers ring up companies and get stuck for 20 minutes, 25 minutes or half an hour only for no follow-through to happen. It is very important that ComReg be tasked with going out to find non-compliance, not just dealing with reports coming in. This would be very positive.

On the universal service obligation, I now regard broadband to be like running water and electricity. It is something everybody should be able to get, regardless of their location. The An Post element is important.I have concerns, which we have discussed at the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications, about An Post. It is important we keep an eye on it over the longer term and give it as many services as we can. With broadband coming along, people may need to use the post office less. We will have to find more services to give it a purpose and add services that it can provide. We will have to save it from other things.

The digital hub aspect is being wound down, which is a sensible provision. Senator Dooley made a point about high-risk vendors. The Minister of State said that 19 member states have implemented similar legislation and five more are at an advanced stage of preparation. We are there too and one member state has been left behind. Are many countries using the phrase "high-risk vendor"? It seems a slightly inflammatory and unnecessary phrase. A better phrase could be used to achieve the same intention that the EU and other countries are targeting. How many countries are using the term? How many have inserted it in legislation? It is slightly insulting and offensive to suggest that any company is a high-risk vendor. There are certainly aspects of a network that are sensitive but this should be more about the area of opportunity and responsibility rather than the supplier involved. Areas, rather than vendors, are high risk.