Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The roll-out of the national broadband plan needs to be seriously ramped up and pushed up a gear in the coming year. We are drifting towards a risk of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory if we do not capitalise on the opportunities presented by remote and hybrid working throughout our rural communities. We expect more than 4,800 households to be connected in townlands around Castlebar and Ballina before the first quarter of 2022. I understand this significant first step from Mayo is facing additional delays. This is simply not acceptable. We need to escalate dramatically the prioritisation of broadband roll-out in government and get connections live in counties so people can feel that good broadband connectivity is becoming more of a reality for them. In outdoor advertising as well as in engagement with roadshows throughout the county, National Broadband Ireland states high-speed broadband has arrived. This is completely untrue and equates to false advertising. It is only adding insult to injury and frustrating people. Will the Minister provide an update on the roll-out of the national broadband programme in Mayo?

See this speech in context