Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I raise the national broadband plan and suggest we have a discussion with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, about the advice given as to where builds take place. I will speak in particular about one area in south Longford, the town of Ballymahon, and the general area, which is where the largest tourist infrastructure project and investment in the country is located but the area is not included in the current build phase of the fibre network. A significant number of businesses are looking to locate in the area and this is becoming an issue. The Millennium business park is on the outskirts of town. It has 60 to 80 employees in it who are without access to basic broadband. The network runs along the public road but does not stretch to the businesses within the estate. We are now in 2023 and it is outrageous that we do not prioritise businesses that need that infrastructure to keep people in employment and allow companies to trade. We cannot even provide that basic requirement in a large urban town of more than 2,500 people. We need to consider where we are prioritising the installation of this infrastructure. We need to consider urban areas, particularly where there are businesses are struggling because they lack access to broadband.