Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the issue of broadband in rural Ireland and also on Fianna Fáil's proposal to launch a review. First, as a rural Deputy, no more than the Minister, I fully understand what is lacking. We have talked about it for years, and I know that it was high on the agenda when we negotiated the programme for Government. What is happening at the moment is the process of bringing the programme for Government to fruition.

There have been hiccups along the way. However, I want to say something about rural broadband, something I have made clear on many occasions. I am not happy with the way Eir is performing in its commercial roll-out. My concern is that gaps are appearing all over the country in the roll-out of rural broadband. These gaps become apparent when one travels down a road with 50 or 60 houses, 50 of which are connected while the remaining houses in the middle are not. That is leaving a gap and it is very divisive. It is a way of dividing communities, putting somebody with broadband on a higher pedestal than somebody who does not have it. Given what Eir has done, students find they have to go to a neighbour's house to study for exams or they have to stay on in college in Galway while their friends can go home to study. In one house, a farmer can do all of his accounts and form-filling online, but in the next house that cannot be done.

This is a huge problem and while I am not technically-minded in terms of how broadband works, I know that when 50 houses out of 60 are connected and ten are not, something is wrong. Eir has caused a problem by creating these gaps, which will be a problem when the broadband network is realised with Enet, after that contract is, hopefully, signed. Access to these houses to ensure broadband is delivered is a concern.

Eir should be asked how it will deal with this. The last thing we want is to say that these houses, families, students or farmers will have to wait until we work it out later. I know from the briefing I got from the Minister that Eir is still willing to help out in any way it can, but its contribution must be more than words. Access to these houses is very important. It is an issue that has created untold anger. The reason people are talking about broadband is that Johnny can have it but Mick cannot.

People in this country have been patient, and now they see that something is happening. However, it has to happen in a very even-handed manner, and I stress to the Minister that Eir should be brought back into the discussions. If it is not going to fill these small gaps, that should be made a priority under the new contract, that is, that they are taken care of first, not last.

To return to the issue of Eir's withdrawal, I do not know if it is a good or a bad thing. I am not too worried about it. The Department and the Minister have done a damned good job in a very difficult, technical procurement process. As somebody who understands procurement and has some knowledge of this competitive dialogue process, I know that it is used for large infrastructure jobs. However, it is also used in cases where there are complicated and varying proposals and it is a question of trying to find the best fit. That is why it is competitive and there is dialogue. It is also why a number of bidders are brought into the process in order that the best tender can be found.

The fact that a company decides to pull out of the process does not mean the process is complete. Perhaps Eir's withdrawal is something we will look back on in a couple of months and say that it was all right because we end up, hopefully, with a successful contract. Maybe we will save some time in the process now that we are dealing with the nuts and bolts of getting a contract in place.

It is important we understand that people get exercised about the fact they do not have broadband and they have to wait. That is one of the things that motivated us when we were negotiating the programme for Government, especially rural Deputies, of which the Minister was one. We want to see this up and running. We want to see broadband in place and being rolled out in a very efficient and speedy manner. That is why it takes time to get the contractor, or the supplier, in place.

If we started a review of the procurement now, we would delay the process. There are many external experts and bodies advising on this. I looked at the names involved, and I recognised some of them. Highly accomplished and qualified people are providing the necessary advice to the Department and the Minister. However, it is important to remember that having a review at this point would be counter-productive. We have a job to do and we should encourage the Minister to make sure we stick with the plan and broadband is provided.

I agree with Deputy Fitzmaurice that we have received much information from the Minister over the last day or two and the briefing was very good. However, a briefing in the AV room for all Deputies who are interested in the topic, so that we are more in tune with what is happening, would not go amiss. I know it is not easy because carrying out any kind of infrastructure project takes time. The last thing we want is to find, when we have finished the process and spent the money, that something is not right. That is why we have to make sure it is done thoroughly, in a way that will be of benefit to the people who have waited so long for it.

Some people get exercised and try to play politics with broadband, but it is too important for that and we all need to work together on this. We must also reassure the public that broadband will be delivered.

I will return to the only issue I have about which the Minister knows from his own constituency. The gaps that have emerged should be a priority for us. We should not say to people that Johnny down the road has broadband but those further up the road have to wait two years to get theirs. It is important that we give these people confidence that they will be treated as a priority within the roll out, when it happens.

We are all looking for information but when a procurement process is ongoing, it is very important that the Minister does not divulge information that is sensitive, commercially or otherwise. We must respect that. However, I want to compliment him on the information we have got so far. It is important we all work together, not to provoke people, but to reassure them that this Government and the Minister will deliver broadband in a way that we have never seen before. It is a vital infrastructure. We are launching the national planning framework, our ten year capital expenditure programme. However, broadband, water, wastewater, housing and health are the priorities and I offer my total support to the Minister in everything he is trying to do. My last word is to mind the gaps.

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