Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Having listened to the debate, it is very clear how passionate Deputies are about broadband, be it in rural Ireland or elsewhere. There is a lack of broadband and we all understand that. There is a determination, shared by everyone in the House, to try to get the access to high-speed broadband for everybody.

Reference was made to those people who were refused or delayed a service because they are in the blue area. If the people who have that problem give the Department the Eircode for the houses, we can get it checked out for them.

I thank the Members who have contributed to the debate on this matter of national importance. As the Deputies pointed out in the motion, it will need to be a reliable and sustainable network. The national broadband plan network will provide that reliability and sustainability both in its initial years and for the future as it will be future-proofed to deal with future demand and technological advancements. As the Minister has outlined, affordability for end users remains a central requirement.

The national broadband plan has been a catalyst in encouraging investment in the telecoms sector. In 2012, fewer than 700,000, or 30% of all 2.3 million premises, had access to high-speed broadband. When this Government came to office, this had risen to 52%.

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