Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all of the witnesses. This has been a very informative session for us. We have held various meetings on broadband. NBI and Eir have appeared before us. Our next port of call will be based on the members' recommendations. The mobile phone and broadband task force has been in existence since 2016.

We will be looking to bring the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, in. Senator Dooley made that suggestion. Our first order of business should be to bring the Minister in to see exactly what the mobile task force is doing. We will probably look to engage with the task force as well and get it front and centre. First, there is an educational space there in terms of what are the alternative options as an interim solution. Second, I think we need to look at the body of work to be done. If it is not within the terms of reference, we need to get them amended to look at the roll-out of the national broadband plan, and how interim solutions, if required - and it looks like they will be - will be structured.

I suppose I would make one qualification. If interim solutions are being given to members of the public, particularly in the gap intervention areas, they can in no way be seen as being the final solution. If they are given satellite and other forms, such as fixed wireless connections, they have to be given the option of going for fibre broadband like everyone else. That is what the national broadband plan is about.

The committee looks forward to further engagement with the witnesses. Our deliberations today reaffirm our view that alternatives have a serious role to play. In these times, we are using the analogy of the PCR test in terms of the fixed fibre and the antigen test in terms of all the other methods. Both have a key role to play. With people working remotely, this matter has become even more urgent. We will be engaging with both the Minister and the mobile phone and broadband task force.

I take Mr. Carvalho's point about the providers but we need to get a full handle on what the up-to-date position is. With the witnesses' indulgence, we will probably look to interact with them in the future. I thank all of our guests for taking the time to attend. I am sorry about the short notice, but it has been a hugely productive meeting. What we want to do for the people out there who are contacting us on a daily basis in our role as public representatives is get them high-speed broadband, in whatever form, as quickly as possible and then get them the final solution that is fibre broadband.