Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman and the committee for allowing me the time. I thank NBI for the update. I want to speak about this matter because I come from east Galway. I am particularly interested in the area comprising Roscommon and east Galway. In 2019, two of the schools that had the worst download speeds were in east Galway - that is how shocking it is. The witnesses are fully aware of the disadvantages involved and how difficult it is to attract investment to areas which just do not have the same access to broadband and broadband speed.

NBI has €3 billion, so there are huge funds. The witnesses referred to 140,000 km of fibre cable, 1.5 million poles and 15,000 km of underground duct networks, so it is a huge project. In Galway alone, we are talking about 38,000 premises. I am one of the people who lives in one of those properties. In Ballinasloe, right beside that area, I had just 7 Mbps and because it took 4 Mbps for me to download my virtual private network, I could not get onto my Oireachtas email. I am renting a house and sharing with two others, and I was one of those who could not physically work from home. This is crucial right now. This is the speed available, and it is why I am talking about acceleration. NBI has the funds. We know the time limits have to be shortened. It was five years and now it is four. What measures can NBI take to ensure we deliver this as soon as possible to the areas affected? Many amber areas are affected and people cannot work from home.

What measures can NBI take in terms of project management and increasing resources for contractors? When will the fibre to the home network start? The recent announcement suggested it will start soon but when will the first homes be on this network? On the BCP connections to school and community areas, do the witnesses have a figure they can give me to suggest they are up and running? What work can be done with regard to improving broadband for the marts?