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

Speaking of Kiskeam, some of the areas that were on the area national broadband plan and have been dropped off it are the areas I want to zone in on. The private operators, wireless etc. have moved in to fill a vacuum that is there because people want to get connectivity immediately. They are talking to their bosses and to their schools during this pandemic and asking how they are going to get broadband. There are places that are not getting broadband. The plan for the areas that would find it difficult to get connection may take three to four years. Is there a seriousness at Government level to try to move it more quickly because society has moved way beyond the political scene in the past number of months with working from home and so forth. It has made that leap. The State is duty bound to ensure that we have a proper roll-out of fibre broadband. I appeal to the Minister to see how we can move this more quickly. Can the intervention that is needed by the State be delivered through the various stages as fast as is humanly possible to empower all of the citizens of the island, whether they are from Kiskeam, Newmarket, Knocknagree or anywhere in between, to ensure this happens? Everybody has the experience of people who are working from home in various Departments and in various positions. We should be looking at everything to empower that to continue into the future. Gabhaim buíochas.

See this speech in context