Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are particularly fortunate that we have an excellent broadband officer. However, clearly 14 of his colleagues are not doing their job in providing the Minister of State with information. As he has said he meets them, can he not challenge them to provide him with the information?

What is the view in the Department of Rural and Community Development on the schedule for the roll-out of the national broadband plan? The Taoiseach has announced the roll-out of the national broadband plan is conditional on the implications of Brexit on our national finances. Is that the Minister of State's view? Are we nearing a conclusion of assessment of the national broadband plan? When will the Minister of State be able to tell these communities preparing for broadband that they will be able to get broadband as opposed to talking about it? When will the people in Malin Head know what year they will actually have access to high-speed broadband? What is the timeline for the national broadband plan?

It is not good enough that the Department is funding people to provide information when they are not providing the information. While I do not blame the Minister of State, someone in the Department needs to get their finger out and follow up on that information.

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