Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will start by citing an article from the website, thejournal.ie.

Ireland really is in the dark ages, and rural Ireland even further behind that. No transportation links, no garda stations, terrible roads, [now no post offices and no pubs but, in particular] no broadband. All because of where you live. Rural people are forgotten about, because we obviously don’t matter.

It saddens me to the core to read a statement like that, but it could not be more true for the people of rural Ireland. I once lived in the hope that broadband would be rolled out for everyone in Ireland, including in rural areas. The longer I wait, however, the more concerned I get. Will it ever happen? The people of rural Ireland have been let down with broken promise after broken promise by this Government and previous Governments. Broadband is a necessity in rural areas. People in towns and villages have come to me in utter despair because they cannot run their businesses without broadband. People who work from home have contacted me because they have no option but to change jobs because the Internet reception in their area is shocking.

Let us not forget that broadband is an important resource for schools, private homes and other organisations. Without broadband, expensive equipment such as interactive whiteboards bought by primary schools is undermined. Efforts by Age Action to promote computer literacy among the elderly are thwarted. The Irish Rural Network estimates that up to 10,000 jobs are being lost in rural areas every year because broadband services are poor or completely absent. The haemorrhaging has to stop. Rural areas in Ireland rank among the worst served regions of Europe with regard to broadband. As the Minister knows, rural broadband is no longer a luxury but an economic necessity. That has been said many times tonight.

Deputies have spoken about rural isolation. This Government has much to answer for in respect of rural isolation because the lack of broadband in rural Ireland is exacerbating the problem. Since 2004, there have been four Government initiatives to improve broadband, all of which have worked up to a point. Major problems remain, however. Some areas of west Cork have never had a broadband service. In areas such as Ballylickey, Connonagh and Leap, and even in some parts of Ballinadee, there is still no broadband service. There is a housing estate in Inis Órga in Bandon in which every third house does not have broadband. It is incredible that they could not get it right in a housing estate. I have concerns about Eir taking the rich pickings. If it keeps picking off the areas with larger populations, with the support of this Government, many private operators may well pull the plug. That is when the nightmare will start in this country.

Has the Minister met with the private operators? If the Minister is not talking to these private operators we could be faced with a far bigger problem than we imagine going forward.

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