Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The responsibility for the roll-out of the national broadband plan falls within the Minister, Deputy Ryan's, Department. I know he is working closely with National Broadband Ireland, NBI, in an effort to try to roll this out as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, however, the good news is my Department has a number of broadband connection points in the local community halls. A person can go in there and get the high-speed broadband he or she needs. That is why I have provided money. I just mentioned one in County Kildare and I am sure County Kerry was not left out. I do not have the list here but County Kerry certainly was not left out when it came to the broadband connection points. The purpose of those is that if a person does not have good broadband in his or her house, he or she can go down to the local community centre and get that connection he or she needs. A person can either get it outside in his or her car or go into the into the community hall. The local broadband officers in the local authorities have been working extremely hard right across the country. They identified the areas which needed that and asked us to get those connected.

We will have 200 connected by the end of the year and another 100 will be connected early next year. That will give another 300 connection points throughout the country. If there are instances of real need, people should contact the broadband officer in their local authority.

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