Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for selecting this very topical issue for debate in the Chamber regarding the possibility of inserting a branching unit to Cork on a new tier 1 express cable or broadband cable which it is planned by an investment consortium to lay between the United States and the United Kingdom, and to Europe. In the coming days we have a chance to make a decision on whether the south west region can connect to this tier 1 cable which is significantly important for the future development of the economy not just in Cork but the entire region.

Tier 1 international connectivity in the southern part of the country would present all regional hubs along the Atlantic corridor and the south west region as serious candidate locations for data-centric companies, Internet players and financial services organisations as a European headquarters or back-up location for their presence in other European locations, while at the same time protecting and promoting the competitiveness of indigenous and multinational industry in regional areas.

Much progress has been made to date to advance the prospects of the new tier 1 connector via the Hibernia Atlantic cable which would significantly enhance connectivity, improve latency and reduce telecommunication costs along the Atlantic corridor and the south. To do business on the telecommunications side is far more expensive in the south of the country than in Dublin, for example, or along the Dublin to Derry corridor. That must be addressed.

The Cork Chamber of Commerce and Cork City Council through its director of services in the docklands fully support the project, as does Cork County Council. Connectivity would present a significant opportunity to this country. I am also aware of a second proposal to link Cork and Dublin with France and onwards to Germany and back to the United Kingdom in a European-British-Irish route. The correlation of those two lines could potentially make Cork a significant telecommunications hub for data control or storage. I hope the Minister will be supportive of progressing the two tier 1 connector projects into Cork.

Some of the companies that have been attracted to Cork through the IDA are significant global multinationals that have based their European headquarters in Cork. I refer to Pfizer, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lily, Schering-Plough, Stryker, Amazon, Centocor and Siemens as well as one of the most significant companies of all, EMC, and the Tyndall National Institute which are all located in Cork. If those two cables are connected then Cork could become the hub of interconnectivity for transatlantic traffic to all of Europe which would greatly enhance the capacity of companies to employ people in the greater Cork area.

There has not been much investment in this area by the State. In one case the company concerned is not looking for any funding from the State but is seeking State support through departmental assistance and significant administrative support. It would provide a competitive business environment in the south-western region, not just nationally where it is suffering but internationally where it is crucial to make progress. We have seen a company such as Dell decide to leave and go elsewhere in Europe without any regard for the communities and people who are left to suffer.

We must become more competitive and improve technology. I recall working in an old telephone exchange on the Beara Peninsula which had only four lines going out. Back then getting a telephone was a big issue. We have come a long way but we are still behind. The proposal to which I have referred is hugely significant.

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