Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In May this year Facebook announced that it is to build a 37,000 km undersea cable around Africa to provide it with better internet access. The cable will connect 23 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Europe, and at 37,000 km long Facebook claims that the cable will be nearly equal to the circumference of the Earth. Compare this to our own dire situation where, almost a decade on from 2011, we still have to raise basic issues about the lack of a vital service such as rural broadband, which puts many counties and regions on the back foot. I want to discuss this issue with the Taoiseach. Every rural Deputy in this House knows this is a serious problem. The National Competitiveness Council also knows it is a serous problem.

In its recent report, the council makes it absolutely clear that the shift to remote working by a significant proportion of the workforce has highlighted the absence of quality, high-speed broadband across this State. Indeed, recent events have reinforced the view that the challenges and frustrations for individuals and businesses working in areas of very low or non-existent connectivity remain stubbornly high. Despite almost a decade of talk about a national broadband plan, there has been relatively little action. The Taoiseach will also be aware that this issue has generated significant concern in rural Ireland in particular. Over the past two weeks, 19 of the 68 marts across this State have been affected by almost total broadband failure. Edenderry and Birr cattle marts continue to operate with speeds of less than 30 Mbps, while Ballinakill livestock mart in County Laois is operating with speeds barely above 30 Mbps. I wrote to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, about the matter of the marts but I am still waiting for a substantive reply. The level 5 restrictions at marts are having a very serious and significant impact on farming families and rural communities. I have been inundated with calls to my offices about the situation. It does not make sense, given that food production is deemed to be an essential activity, that farmers are not allowed to go in along the ringside considering the absence of broadband. It is also affecting the prices farmers are getting and I have been told it is having a significant impact on the prices received. This is unfair and unjust for farming families. The marts in this State have been managed very efficiently and have been compliant with Covid-19 protocols. I ask the Taoiseach to intervene in this matter because it is unfair and this situation is simply not good enough. We need a solution.

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