Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for your co-operation in having this important debate on broadband here this evening. It is not the first time I have raised it in the House. The reality is that broadband is now one of the commodities required for daily life as we head into the third decade of the 21st century.

Many commitments have been made on broadband. One of the most recent initiatives was the announcement by the Taoiseach six months ago that it would become a personal crusade of his and that he would drive it on through the difficult challenges in the Department. Five years ago, almost to the day, a previous ministerial colleague of the current Minister, Pat Rabbitte, announced that there would be broadband almost instantaneously and we have had many more commitments in regard to it. The reality of the situation on the ground in my constituency in north Cork is that many communities fail to access broadband. We have the farcical situation now whereby Eir has got a State contract to bring broadband to certain locations, but where there are two, three or four houses at the end of the line or in some instances just one house and while the line is there, the community cannot get connected to it. Ongoing issues are evident in Rockchapel, Banteer, Bweeng, Rathcoole, and Waterfall, which is just outside Cork city. It is not just a rural issue as it affects homes adjacent to the city. It would be remiss of me if I did not mention Kiskeam. I know you were waiting for me to mention it, a Cheann Comhairle. I could see it in your countenance. The reality for those communities in Duhallow and north Cork is that they are all waiting for broadband to be rolled out. If they had broadband, people could decide to work two or three days a week from home, which is far more compatible with family life than long commutes. People would like the option of working from home but the broadband is not sufficiently reliable.

What is the status of the fictitious broadband plan? There were indications earlier in the year that there would be an announcement before Easter, that it would all be hunky-dory and that the contracts would be signed. Six weeks ago the Taoiseach announced that the final cost of the broadband plan could be many multiples of the original €500 million. While all of that debate is going on, the reality is that broadband is not being rolled out to the communities in north Cork, Duhallow and other places that cannot access broadband. Will the Minister intervene at this stage with Eir and the contracts it has got from the State and find out its plans to provide for the three, four or five houses at the end of a line? In the first instance, a sensible and common-sense decision should be made to ensure that every available house is connected to broadband. In the second instance, will the Minister outline whether there is a plan to roll out broadband to those communities that are so badly in need of it?

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