James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I asked the question because of the deep frustration felt by the people in County Wexford in not being able to access fibre broadband in the rural areas. Fibre broadband is crucial to bridging the digital divide between rural and urban Ireland. This affects individuals in their houses, people trying to access information for children who are doing their homework, those applying for medical cards and people trying to set up a business. It affects farming communities who need broadband to develop efficiency in their farms as well as health and safety procedures. Many farmers these days are working alone on farms. They have no one to help them. Having access to broadband allows them to put in health and safety facilities into their farms.

This is a matter of deep frustration for the people in Wexford and throughout the country. The programme for Government proposes that every house and business is to have broadband by 2020. Can the Minister of State confirm that this is still the plan?

See this speech in context