Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I had to cover another meeting. I am going to keep this very brief because some of the questions were probably answered when I was away.

First, I thank the Chair for his role when he was the Minister. In no small way his enthusiasm brought on this broadband project to the island and islands in leaps and bounds. I also acknowledge the officials who worked with him and those who are here with us today.

I do not really care who answers the question. We have brought the fibre line so far and then it stops and there are 4 km or 5 km left where people cannot join up. I am a victim of this myself even with my Oireachtas line at home and my neighbours are the same way. We have been told it will be four or five years more. I could give several examples. The Chair knows of this himself. Is there anything that can be done to speed it up for people who need broadband but because of the gap that has been left, there is no chance in most cases of getting it for four or five years?

I will finish with this second point. Firms are not realising their potential because of the lack of broadband. The Chair knows the firm we talk about in north Roscommon, the Hanly group with 120 workers, which is prepared to dig up an area, put down poles and do everything but its chance of getting broadband is three years down the road. Is there anything that can be done for firms like that? I spoke to the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, about this and he mentioned the hub. Realistically, a hub is not the answer to a business with 120 workers. There is no doubt that the company is losing out on business. They tell me they could be employing 30 more people if they had the broadband. They are my two questions.