Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank all colleagues who contributed to the debate. I know that some of them disagree with the approach we are taking with the ownership model. We held a debate on the matter in the House in 2016. However, I believe everyone in the House agrees with the primary objective, that is, to bring high speed broadband to every home, community, business and farm in Ireland.

I appreciate the frustration being expressed by colleagues. I, too, am experiencing it, not only as a public representative but also as someone who was born, bred and reared in rural Ireland. I know its extraordinary potential.

I have always likened this debate to conversations I had on numerous occasions with a former Member of the House, my late father. He spoke about the impact the rural electrification scheme had had in our village of Ardkeenan. People living in communities throughout rural Ireland wanted to have electricity in order to have a lightbulb in the kitchen in order that they could read the newspaper. However, they soon found out about the extraordinary potential the supply of electricity offered in cooking, listening to the radio, watching television and operating milking machines. The scheme transformed the economy of rural Ireland and the lifestyle of women. It gave them great opportunities at the time. Broadband will do the same. We should remember that this was the first country in the world to bring an electricity supply to every home and it will also be the first to provide high speed broadband for every home.

I understand and appreciate the sense of frustration. That frustration has been compounded by the fact that some people are gaining access to broadband. The commitment agreement into I which tied eir is delivering high speed broadband to approximately 300 farms per week and 40,000 premises every quarter. That is some achievement, but it makes it even more frustrating when people see a neighbour at the end of or half way up the road or half-way being provided with pure fibre high speed broadband, while they are left with absolutely nothing. That is why I was determined, in tandem with the commitment agreement, to make progress on the issue under the broadband and mobile phone task force. There are ways by which we can encourage the roll-out of wireless, as well as 3G and 4G, broadband in the short term.

Mobile broadband is a sticking plaster. The point was well made in the article in the Sunday Independentby Adrian Weckler, who is not a strong advocate for me. If anything, he has probably been one of the biggest thorns in my side. However, I acknowledge that throughout the process he has called a spade a spade. He has set out the idea clearly. I have heard people the length and breadth of the country say on radio that those of us living in rural Ireland should damn well accept 4G mobile broadband, that it is good enough for us. It is not. A 3G mobile broadband service was rolled out under the national broadband scheme. I recall that the former Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, was involved at the time. The day it went live, it was already obsolete. Mobile broadband will never meet our needs. It is a stop-gap measure, albeit a welcome one. I will assist in that regard, but it is a mobile, not a point-to-point, service. The reality is that over time people will not use broadband simply to watch a range of television channels or surf the Internet using a range of devices. I am engaged with several companies and what we are looking at is a pilot scheme to improve health outcomes for people living in rural communities. There are major opportunities for small post-primary schools. For example, if children want to take applied mathematics but the option is not available in their school, they can take it using online tools. The opportunities are endless for Irish ingenuity and business. I urge everyone to work with me. I will work with Members, too. I will give one commitment. I will engage with Members both here and in the Upper House. We will keep them briefed and updated on what is happening.

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