Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Therein lies the problem. We can no longer afford to work in silos. I know that there is a certain degree of collaboration, but this is vital. This is the biggest thing to happen in the west for a long time and will mean that the highest speeds will be available. Another cable is due to be brought through shortly, as well as another from Iceland. Unless we take advantage of them and plan ahead and work closely on such developments, we will never maximise the potential available in the west and rural Ireland.

I want to ask about the connections of the various agencies with Eir. I work remotely on the days I am not in Leinster House and never know in the morning if I will be able to send an email. It is admirable that some of the delegates think there is a wonderful broadband picture, but I can tell them from personal experience that is not the way it is. Another problem with Eir is that I do not know if I will be able to make a mobile phone call. Perhaps five or six times during a conversation it will cut out and then I cannot get through to Eir. Have the agencies represented sat down with Eir to discuss the problems with mobile phone coverage, for instance? It is a fairly basic requirement of any business or operation in working from home.