Maria Corrigan (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for giving me the opportunity to raise the matter of the provision of broadband in Glencullen in Dublin. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources recently had the opportunity to visit the offices of ComReg. It was a very interesting and informative visit. ComReg outlined to the committee the very heartening news that the provision of broadband in Ireland is rapidly increasing and is now falling within the average on the international tables of broadband provision, having got off to a very slow start. That was very heartening to hear, but we still have some way to go.

ComReg indicated it would be very surprised if there were parts of Dublin where it was not possible to avail of some form of broadband, whether cable or wireless. Glencullen is one of those parts. The pity of the matter and the reason I raise it today is that over the past six months, Eircom has spent approximately €100,000 on providing fibre-optic cables from the nearest village, Stepaside, to Glencullen to facilitate broadband provision. However, Eircom installed what is known as a cabinet but unfortunately it is not adjacent to the cabinet that holds the lines for the village of Glencullen, which is beside the local school. It will cost another €10,000 to €20,000 to complete the link but Eircom has indicated that it has no immediate plans to complete the provision of broadband.

Glencullen is the highest village in Ireland and is located on a steep hill. For this reason, it is not possible to obtain wireless broadband there. It is completely dependent on the completion of the final section of wiring. If a company has spent €100,000 on installing the basic fibre-optic cables required and only requires a further small amount of cabling to the cost of up to €20,000, it seems an awful shame that it would not just complete the job. This would ensure the library, school and the surrounding village has the same access to broadband services as the rest of Dublin.