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

There is no one more frustrated with what is going on across this country at the moment in regard to mobile phone and broadband coverage than myself. I was the one who got this written into the programme for Government specifically in regard to mobile and wireless broadband. I know the situation at first hand. As Minister for Communications, Environment and Climate Action, I find it frustrating that I have to turn off data on my phone to make phone calls. It is not good enough that people across the country have to do this to make phone calls. Let us remember there has been a phenomenal increase in the data demand on our mobile network and many people in rural areas are dependent on that at the moment.

Things are improving, however. We are delivering fibre broadband and that will ramp up later this year or early next year with the final phase of the national broadband plan. We are working with the telecoms companies to examine how to address mobile blackspots. The resources are being put in and the spectrum has been given to those companies. What it means is that the industry now has far more space to carry data and this allows it to improve the 4G services that are available across the country, which will improve the quality of mobile services.

We are determined to do this. The Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, and myself are working very closely in regard to the deployment of the national broadband plan to put initial community hotspots in place so that, if people cannot access high-speed broadband in their homes, they should at least be able to access it in a warm location, such as a local community centre.

See this speech in context