Dr. Stjohn O'Connor:

It is effectively a separate network. It grants the ability to create a separate network which could be used for Government civil servants. This was something we certainly foresaw as being of use, but it is again a matter for Government regarding whether that is turned on. There is a bit of work involved in doing that, but it could be done.

The third question concerned mobile coverage. The Deputy is correct, and I draw attention to the 2G coverage map which I included in my presentation, which as I said was very much taken from the work of the task force. The coverage provided by 2G networks is the minimum level, but it will give voice and some limited data services. At this stage, however, the vast majority of the country is covered by 2G. I also draw the Deputy Ó Cuív's attention to some of the initiatives which came out of the task force. We are keen, and have always been keen, to ensure State assets are available to telecommunications companies. Most telecommunications' operators now end up on the same masts and they share infrastructure all the time.

The big challenge is identifying suitable locations in these rural areas to place a mast. One of the projects we carried out through the digital innovation project was in Malin Bay in Donegal, where we worked with Vodafone, the local authority and the community to find a suitable location for a mast to bring coverage. Those familiar with Malin Bay will know that there was zero coverage there. This was a pilot project which we funded to see whether industry could work with local authorities and central Government to bring connectivity into these locations. I am delighted to say it was transformative. Previously, for example, doctors would not go to Malin Bay because coverage would drop, and if there was an emergency, they could not be out of an area with coverage. Now, however, the mast is sited on the community centre and the intention is that they will create a BCP from that. We have, and continue to have, discussions as to whether that would be a model for rolling out elsewhere in the country. It is something we and the industry are keen on.

The other thing I will draw the attention of the members of the committee to as a direct outcome of the task force - and again this aspect goes back to the map - is that outdoor coverage, generally speaking, is fine; the difficulty is indoor coverage. The difference between having outdoor and indoor coverage can be a factor of many things, including insulation, the thickness of walls, windows and frames, etc.. One of the things the task force did was to work with ComReg to put in place a regime that allowed people to install a repeater, and there are now multiple suppliers of approved repeaters to a technical standard which does not interfere with other users of the network. They are now available to everybody in rural Ireland, and they will make a substantial difference because they are taking whatever coverage is outside, bypassing all those things interfering with the signal and bringing it into houses. We are equipping the BCPs with repeaters. In most of the BCPs, we have outdoor and indoor coverage, and there is a difference. We are putting in repeaters, therefore, to ensure that the quality inside matches that outside.