Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I hope the Minister will take the advice of the Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, and start with the islands and work from there because they are in a particularly vulnerable position. We have lost the island community on the Blaskets and there is a danger of losing the community on Tory Island. We do not want to lose any more.

In addition to the advantages for residents of the islands, there would also be advantages in regard to tourism.

The islands are to be found in some of the most beautiful places, although I know that when the Minister was on one of them in the summer, there was very bad weather. They are places of outstanding natural beauty. If there was live streaming of events, it would be very encouraging.

I have a short anecdote about Cape Clear, the island with which I have the strongest association. Back in the 1860s, there was a telegraph station on it. When a ship would arrive from North America, a boat from Cape Clear would pick up a cylinder from it and bring it back to the island. The information would be sent by telegraph to Cork and then London. It was said the people on Cape Clear were the first to know about the start of the American Civil War and the assassination of President Lincoln. As we have come a long way in the meantime, I hope that when the programme is rolled out, there will be a stricter timeframe in order that the islands can have broadband very quickly.

See this speech in context