Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the delegation and the presentation they have provided.

An EU survey conducted last March revealed that entry-level broadband in Ireland is the third most expensive in Europe. We are also ranked 43rd in the world for internet speeds, which is really Third World. I welcome the developments that have been pointed out today in County Kerry, but we must be realistic. We are starting from a very low base. There is terrible frustration out there in rural communities. They are at a severe disadvantage. We welcome any process that aims to accelerate the delivery of broadband, but we must also take account of the fact that we need a properly managed economy in this country. In the past we had a huge concentration of all these services. For instance, the broadband aspect of it contributed to the property and wage bubbles in Dublin, at a huge loss to the rest of the country. We must avoid such disparities in the future. It is a necessity in this society at the moment, rather than a privilege, to have an equal spread for everybody. We are well aware that in regard to broadband there is a fast lane and a slow lane. Unfortunately, in the west of Ireland we are being left behind and we are falling down dramatically. It is not by any means a level playing field, so we have a lot of catching up to do.

I welcome some of the revelations and the sentiments that have been expressed, but I wonder whether we have grasped this thing by the neck and whether we are moving in a co-ordinated fashion. As Deputy O'Donovan mentioned, it is mirrored here today by the huge multiplicity of individuals attending from various companies, etc.

There is terrible frustration about mobile phone service provision. In rural County Kerry, I travel a huge constituency, occasionally doing clinics, etc. As part of our work, naturally, people are trying to contact us throughout the day. One must often try to explain to them that coverage is bad in a particular area so the call may break down shortly, and that is what inevitably happens. For people in a private or business capacity, we must address matters in the short term rather than prolonging things in both broadband and phone services, particularly for rural Ireland. Sometimes we may get little announcements but they are not much comfort to the huge public that is being denied proper services.