Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply and for his commitment to delivering what he regards as vital infrastructure. I join him in welcoming the appointment of Lord David Puttnam as our digital champion. It is a brilliant appointment and I believe his passion and knowledge will bear fruit. I was in his home and I have seen what he can do, which is quite remarkable. While I do not want to pour cold water on it, he can deliver learning and lectures to people across the globe but the problem is in many places he cannot do so five or ten miles out the road. That is the challenge and I know the Minister accepts it. The time might come eventually when we will spend four days in committee in our own homes and spend one day in plenary in Dublin. The technology is not that far away and is something that could be considered. Similarly, university students could study from their own homes for the majority of the time. We have not even contemplated the economic and social advantages that could bring to a student's home life, especially to one from a rural area. We need to consider the economic, social and communications activity this could generate.

The globe has become a fairly small marble in terms of communications, as the Minister has recognised. I am very glad my dates are wrong and that the Minister has corrected me. It is far more advanced than I had thought. I look forward to the delivery of the programmes as they come on stream. I look forward to a greater quality of life for those people who have been challenged by a poor service to date.

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