Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply.

It is not true to say that we had services all over the country a few years ago. Six or seven years ago, there were several black spots in the country with no mobile phone coverage, no telephone services, no radio signal and no television signal. The position has improved a little since then because of the action being taken.

The problem is that many find themselves 100 m from existing service. With that existing service, they feel they could work from home just as well as they can travelling into work. There are many in those circumstances all over the country. Is there any way the Minister can bridge that gap between where the services now stop and those who have a strong reason for getting service, have promoted the reasons over the years and continue to request the provision of service?

I believe it is possible to do it. The digital highway is in position and it is the minor roads with which we have a difficulty now. We need to come to some arrangement under which we can identify the end of the road.

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