Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The broadband procurement issue raises grave concerns over the Government's ability to oversee the development and delivery of essential infrastructure across the country. The Minister, Deputy Naughten, boldly claimed that Ireland would be the first country in the world to bring broadband into every home yet, at the end of 2017, we still have not attained 100% coverage while the Netherlands achieved 98% installation and Luxembourg 97%. Arguably, both of these regions are geographically small, with high population density. More impressive, perhaps, is Norway, which has attained 94% coverage with a little over 5 million of population across more than 4.5 times the landmass of Ireland and a sparse population density of 15 people per sq. km compared to Ireland's 69 people per sq. km.

Broadband infrastructure as an essential element of the social, economic and educational functioning of rural areas has been debated many times in this House yet here we are again, haggling with Eir about public access to poles that used to be in the ownership of the people. High quality, high speed Internet access is a way of life in Nordic countries. Their governments support it, the Internet service providers provide it and the people use it. The high quality Internet access available in Nordic Europe did not happen by accident. All of these countries have governments and telecommunications companies that are focused on providing exceptional Internet service to populations that are active Internet users. Finland was the first country in the world to declare that broadband access is a legal right for every citizen and 95% of the population has 4G coverage. It is clear, given the track record the Nordic countries have in STEM, that these are the countries we need to look to for good practice and leadership.

The Minister's responsibility in bringing this contract across the line has, if he will excuse the pun, broad-reaching consequences. The necessity of broadband infrastructure to sustaining the essential social, economic and educational functioning of rural areas has been debated too many times in this House.

No one needs to be reminded of the everyday dependence on digital connectivity to deliver education, run farms and businesses, sell tourism products and distribute millions of financial transactions between people and businesses in every nook and cranny of the State. Despite experts attempts at future-proofing, new digital services and practices are continually emerging which were never seriously considered. Services such as virtual GP clinics are gaining credibility in the provision of online medical consultations and prescription of medication which had previously required a GP surgery visit. It is evident that such applications have a major contribution to make in providing services to remote dwellers where conventional means are becoming less viable. Similarly, according to the Western Development Commission's Insights from the Digital Economy Conference, 9% of adults run a business from home and 39% of the population do some work at home. This highlights the importance of adequate high-speed broadband in our homes to enable self-employment and home-working on a more common basis. Remote working eases demands on transport infrastructure and compensates users further by improving their opportunity costs for enhanced work-life balance. It also has potential to improve the potential to increase women's employment in rural areas for those for whom child care costs are prohibitive or child care services unavailable.

I can see from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment's high-speed broadband map of county statistics that the midland counties have achieved the 88% national average coverage. I have also received information from the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, that IDA Ireland has appointed a dedicated regional manager to boost the number of jobs created in this region and that the agency has launched a digital campaign to market the region to potential investors. These investments and their outcomes are both dependent on the achieving full rural deployment as soon as possible. This will be influenced by the existence of high-speed broadband which is essential for job creation. I ask the Minister for assurances that the targets for 100% broadband coverage to every householder in Ireland has not in any way been hindered by the withdrawal of Eir from the contracting process. Can the Minister assure me and the rural dwellers across the country that high-speed broadband will be available to every household and business premises in Ireland under this contract and can he indicate the anticipated completion date? The issue is of great concern to rural communities and is a source of great frustration to over 12,000 constituents in County Offaly who want urgent action and not meaningless dialogue.

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