Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all the witnesses, particularly my very good friend, Councillor Rena Donaghey, who is an outstanding politician on the Inishowen Peninsula. One might get the impression that broadband services in the north west gateway are highly developed. Is the high-speed broadband that has been provided in the Letterkenny and Derry area accessible to SMEs and households in all locations? Does everybody in that area have access? What is the quality of the mobile phone coverage for businesses, tourists and families? My experience of going around Ireland is that it is hard to believe how erratic mobile phone coverage is. Have the witnesses looked at the broadband issues along the other Border counties of Louth, Newry-Mourne, Monaghan, Cavan and Leitrim?
Yesterday's extraordinary announcement of a joint venture between the ESB and Vodafone is a magnificent development. It will mean that regional towns leapfrog over major cities in this respect. According to the press release, "Ireland will also become the first country in Europe to utilise existing electricity infrastructure ... to deploy fibre directly into homes and businesses". It is amazing that we will be the first country to use electricity in this way. This €450 million investment will have a dramatic effect. I would like to hear the witnesses' comments on it. I would like to quote from the report on this initiative in The Irish Timeswhich states:

Vodafone chief executive Anne O’Leary said the fibre broadband network will allow people working from home to send very large files to their workplace in seconds. They will also be able to hold video calls to China without disruption.

This is a sensational announcement. I thank the witnesses again. I appreciate all the work they have been doing over the years.