Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will ask Mr. O'Brien to come in on Deputy Ó Cuív's comment but, before we leave Mr. Mulligan, will he clarify a few things in the context of what Deputy Ó Cuív has said? Is there a difference between a fibre connection and a connection that is partly a wireless service from a latency point of view? That is the first thing. Is there a difference as regards contention? Is there variability in that regard? I have a question that Mr. Hendrick may wish to answer. If everyone on each of the Aran Islands signed up for a 2 GB service tomorrow morning, could that be provided at the same level as would be provided through a fibre cable? I suggest Mr. Hendrick be careful in answering that because I am sure there will be technical experts going through his response. However, I would like an answer to that.

I have two questions for Mr. Mulligan. He has mentioned the time perspective, leaving aside the cost, the technology and so forth. Time is a priority in this regard as well. We do not want to see the islands left behind. Looking at the matter purely from the perspective of time, is Mr. Mulligan saying in his evidence here this morning that because of the licensing regime now in place through MARA, it would be beyond the delivery date of 1 January 2027 that all of our island communities would have a high-speed broadband connection if we were to go for a subsea cable solution? Will he clarify that?

While the Department of Rural and Community Development can answer this question as well, is Mr. Mulligan also saying that, if there is a water or electricity connection going from the mainland to islands in the future, the Government will ensure that at least a duct will be put in to facilitate a fibre cable being provided to those islands, as is the case with the EirGrid cable between our own island and the mainland of France?