Enda Kenny defends privatisation of broadband decision

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been forced to defend the privatisation of broadband after it was claimed that the decision is “short termism and not in the public interest”.

The Government has opted for a gap-funded model to deliver rural broadband which includes a 26-year contract with private providers, at the end of which the networks would be privately owned.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin told the Dáil the mistake of privatising Eircom — which one Fianna Fáil TD yesterday admitted was a massive blunder under its rule — was about to be repeated with broadband.