Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I start with the issue of the acceleration of the national broadband plan, NBP. I thank the Minister and his officials who have contacted me regarding the issues raised by National Broadband Ireland, NBI, concerning the streamlining required in the context of a planning permission permits system. I would appreciate it if the Minister would update me on the progress being made on getting that done. We all obviously accept that acceleration is necessary in the NBP. In the meantime, has the Minister or anybody in government engaged with other commercial entities on stopgap solutions, for want of a better term, that could be offered to people who might be waiting for three to four years, and possibly longer, for the roll-out of the national broadband plan? I am talking about options such as a possible satellite solution. A proper Government initiative may need to be put in place. I would like the Minister to comment on that matter.

I welcome the Minister's support for the possibility of a community banking facility. Have there been any conversations at Government level about such an initiative? In the same vein, have there been conversations in government and with An Post to ensure that the requisite capacity is available within the post office network to deal with the new banking requirements the network will experience because of the unfortunate closure of Ulster Bank and also of some branches of Bank of Ireland, such as in towns like Dunleer?

I have brought up cross-Border planning previously. In fairness, the Minister's officials who have spoken to us previously have given us decent enough information concerning the A5 and the Narrow Water bridge being in play in this regard. Some of my Sinn Féin colleagues, in the context of the memorandum of understanding, MOU, on the strategic alliance between the Louth local authorities and Newry and Mourne District Council, have also said that some of the responsibility for the issues in this regard lie with the Minister for Infrastructure, Nichola Mallon. I would like the Minister to give me an update on this topic as well.