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

I thank the Minister for her commitment to this and for her engagement with me on it. I have given a proposal to the Minister, which her officials have been dealing with, on putting these digital hubs next to rural post offices. Many debates have been held in the Dáil over the years on the future of the post office network. In recent months, the issue of urbanisation and the drive to the cities has been completely turned on its head. There is scope for this now. We have a proposal to put a digital hub adjacent to a post office. We have put the plans in place, identified the building and identified what can be done. There is no fibre broadband within the community. There is a huge opportunity here to revitalise towns and villages. We should embrace the changes in working from home and working in digital hubs that have happened due to Covid-19. I ask that the Minister would look at this. I know she has been engaging with the Department on it but I ask her to continue to do so. I may come back with a supplementary question.

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