Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator McGahon for sharing time. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, to the House. This is a gargantuan project. This is, as Senator McGahon rightly referenced, akin to a modern-day electrification of the country. We saw what rural electrification did. This is linked centrally to the ongoing development and evolution of the social and economic development of our country. That is why this project is so important.

I would ask Members of the House who raised legitimate concerns and criticisms of the speed to engage with NBI, which has participated in a series of meetings with us as Members of the Oireachtas, to see first-hand the complexity of what is involved. Many of us have availed of those visits and tours of the NBI network control centre and other places. The transport committee of which I am a member went on a visit to see work being done at the Blessington deployment area before Christmas.

Some €2.6 billion is transformative money in any shape or form. What are we doing? We are facilitating a new generation to be able to participate in e-learning, remote working from home, e-health initiatives, better energy efficiency and different models and methods of farming and monitoring of livestock. The substantial progress, while not as fast as many of us would like, is being achieved. We can start in Cork, Donegal, Roscommon or wherever and look at the progress being made.

I would make the point that we need to hold NBI accountable for the pace of delivery. We have had Covid and issues around different areas that have been associated with the delay, but let us hold it to account. The committee that I am a member of will again tomorrow have a meeting with NBI in regard to the roll-out of the national broadband plan. I can genuinely say that what I have seen is that there is a concerted effort being made to deliver. There are concerns and it is a right to articulate those concerns about the missed targets. We are all concerned about the delays associated with the project. We are at a reflection point, perhaps, right now in the roll-out of the national broadband plan. However, let us look at what has happened in terms of the work being done until now.

I would make just this one point. NBI must lay 1.4 million new poles. What does that mean? Go out on-site and watch the work being done: the working, the surveying, the deployment areas, the physical surveying of walking the route, new poles and new licence agreements with local authorities.There is a compendium here and a joined-up approach. I hope our country can join up the dots and work together to create a synergy.

As I said, this project is transformative and it will benefit all of us. It behoves all of us to support it and to hold National Broadband Ireland, NBI, accountable in order that it delivers on behalf of all of us. I am confident that we will do that. I commend the Minister of State on the work he is doing and on his excellent contribution today and in the committee.