Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I rise to raise the issue of telecommunications, specifically broadband and mobile phone coverage around the country. Yesterday I attended an enlightening briefing, but what was aired to the telecoms providers was mostly frustrations. I was struck by the fact that despite the investment by the industry of €2.5 billion in network infrastructure over the past five years, several rural areas still lack broadband coverage or have none whatsoever. This problem affects not only rural areas but certain urban areas. Many broadband black spots that existed ten years ago are still in existence today. How are small businesses supposed to survive in a competitive environment without basic broadband?

Broadband providers seem to attribute part of the blame to the fact that Ireland has one of the lowest population densities in Europe. Sweden has 100% coverage even though it has a much lower population density than Ireland. Broadband providers must change their mindset. If not, I propose that legislation be introduced to prevent broadband providers from cherry-picking the areas where they provide coverage. Let us not beat about the bush and declare that it is commercial reality that dictates which areas get broadband coverage. Providers do not care, for the most part, what part of the country gets coverage as long as they fulfil their licence requirements. That is completely unacceptable and the situation has gone beyond a joke. We need to arrange a debate with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to discuss the matter and to allow him to outline the strategy to provide full broadband coverage around the country.