Before I first call the party leaders, as per custom and practice, I will read out the names of the 15 Deputies due to speak in order that there is no ambiguity about the matter. In order of those who indicated to me, they are: Deputies Brassil, Murphy O'Mahony, Buckley, MacSharry, Martin Kenny, McLoughlin, Danny Healy-Rae, Eugene Murphy, Mattie McGrath, Aylward, Mick Barry, Troy, Lawless, Fitzpatrick and Ryan. I now call Deputy Micheál Martin.

In the programme for Government there is a firm commitment to "guarantee the delivery of next-generation broadband to every household and business in the country. No town, village or parish will be left behind."

They will not.

There is even mention of the tender process being completed by June 2017. We are now past that deadline. Of course, the tender process is still ongoing, and yesterday SIRO announced its withdrawal from the process.

SIRO is a joint venture between the ESB and Vodafone. There is some speculation in the media that the recent deal between Eir and the Government influenced its decision to withdraw, and it did raise a lot of questions at that time.

Given that high quality broadband access is essential to businesses and households across the country, particularly in the regions and in rural Ireland, when will the tendering process be completed? Is there now a question mark overhanging the tender process because of both the Minister's decision and the decision of SIRO to withdraw? Has the credibility of that tendering process been undermined? Can the Minister reassure us that it has not? When can people expect broadband in their homes?

First, this does not compromise the tendering process. The procurement team has received two very detailed bids from two very credible and competitive operators, one a consortium led by Granahan McCourt, Enet, SSE and John Laing, the other being Eir. The reality is that it is a very competitive process involving a very complex procurement process. It is the first time in the world that we have done anything like this. This is a 25 year contract and the commitment is that we will provide high-speed broadband to every single premises in Ireland, no matter how isolated it is, that will meet their needs not just today and tomorrow, but for the next 25 years. Therefore, it is important that we get this right and that it does not end up like the e-voting machines or mistakes that were made in the past in regard to the national broadband scheme.

This is silly stuff.

As Deputy Martin knows in regard to the national broadband scheme, and this is not an accusation-----

I have to intervene-----

Let me finish this point. That scheme was obsolete the day it went live. This will not be.

Everything the Minister has said is what we were told two years ago.

Some 900,000 homes are to get fibre.