Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that the national broadband plan is being accelerated. I acknowledge that but it is ironic that the Minister of State's four or five pages of a response uses the same kind of language as Eir and other providers use when our constituency offices contact them. I welcome the roll-out of the broadband connection points. My own constituency is benefiting in that regard as Whitechurch will be getting one. The real issue I need to hammer home is that people require access to information. I welcome the last part of the Minister of State's speech in which he mentions that the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has advised him that NBI is working to provide more detail on the deployment programme on its website. I ask the Minister of State to emphasise to the Minister how important that is and to tell him that the sooner that can be done in the new year, the better it will be as regards giving people comfort as they may then have some indication of when broadband is to come to their town or village.

As public representatives, we are all aware of how many of these large semi-State and private companies operate. When I was on Cork County Council, the various departments, such as those for roads, engineering and water services, operated under a programme of works. It is the same in many other local authorities across the country. A programme of works can be deviated from, changed or revised. There is nothing wrong with that, but at least the programme is there.

In the case of the organisations of which I am speaking there is a total absence of information. The responses to public representatives have been appalling and the responses to customers the length and breadth of the country are infuriating.

I call on the Minister of State to relay my sentiments to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Ryan. Most important, I appeal to the Minister of State to place a requirement on Eir and all providers involved in the roll-out to supply proper coherent information to all of us, customers and public representatives alike. They should leave out the jargon and provide even indicative timelines for the provision of broadband services in the different areas.

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