Carol Nolan presses Taoiseach on rural broadband and marts

In May this year, Facebook announced that it is building a 37,000 km long undersea cable around Africa to provide it with better internet access. The cable will connect 23 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. And at 37,000 km in length, Facebook claims that the cable will be nearly equal to the circumference of the earth. Compare this to our own dire situation, where almost a decade on from 2011, we are still having to raise basic issues about the lack of a vital service such as rural broadband, which is putting many counties and many regions on the back foot. And that is the issue that I want to discuss with you here today. Every rural deputy in this house knows that this is a serious problem. The National Competitive Council knows also that it is a serious problem. And in its recent report, the Council makes it absolutely clear that the shift to remote working by a significant proportion of the workforce has highlighted the absence of quality high-speed broadband across this state. Indeed, recent events have reinforced the view that the challenges and frustrations for individuals and businesses working in areas of very low or non-existent connectivity remain stubbornly high, despite almost a decade of talk about a national broadband plan. You will also be aware that this is an issue that has generated significant concern in rural Ireland in particular. Over the last two weeks, 19 of the 68 marts across this state have been affected by almost total broadband failure. In fact, Eden Derry Cattle Mart and Burr Cattle Mart continue to operate with speeds of less than 30 megabits per second, while Balnaquil Livestock Mart in County Leash is operating with speeds barely above 30 megabits per second. I wrote to Minister McConaughey on the 21st October about this matter concerning the marts, but I am still waiting for a substantive reply. The level five restrictions at March is having a very serious and significant impact on farming families and indeed on rural communities. I have been inundated with calls to my offices about the situation. It does not make sense that, given that food production is deemed to be an essential activity, that farmers are not allowed to go in along the ringside, given the situation and the absence of broadband. It is obviously also affecting the prices that farmers are getting. I have been told that it is having a significant impact on the prices received. This is both unfair and unjust to farming families. The marts in this state are managed very efficiently and have been compliant with COVID-19 protocols, Taoiseach. I would ask you to intervene in this matter because it is unfair and, as I say, it is simply not good enough. And I feel that we need a solution to this. Well, there are two dimensions to the points raised by the Deputy. I thank the Deputy for raising them. The first relates to the overall issue in terms of connectivity in rural Ireland and the rollout of the national broadband contract. Now, it is no longer a plan. The contract was signed with national broadband Ireland in November last year. And a copy of that contract between the Government and the Edinburgh was recently published in line with a previous commitment by the Government to do so. And Minister Ryan has indicated, as far back as the 4th of September, that design work is complete. are ongoing in target townlands across 20 counties with over 83,000 premises surveyed to date. Laying fibre should start shortly with the first fibre to home connection in Carrigaline, County Cork, expected around December 2020. And the Minister is working with MBI to look at the feasibility of accelerating aspects of this rollout to support remote working and connected communities. And that will assist communities to quickly get free public access to high-speed broadband in advance of the main deployment under the national broadband plan. And those broadband connection points would include schools, library hubs, local support facilities and other public places. That project is well underway. And there's 136 of those sites have been installed to date. So that is central to regional development, that level of increasing and enhancing connectivity. In relation to the March situation, the situation right now mirrors exactly what happened from April to the 8th of June during the first phase of COVID-19 restrictions. The overall objective of moving to level five was to reduce gatherings, congregation and enabling people to reduce their social gathering, sort of social contacts and the opportunity for social gatherings. That's essentially it. It is blunt and it is a crude instrument. But in our view now it's necessary. Neffet have advised strongly that this is the course of action we should take for six weeks. We're moving to the second week or maybe two weeks now. And that's the objective to the end of November to get the numbers really down. And we've had, you know, submissions from many different members of the House and indeed the public more generally in relation to different sectors. From gyms to marts, to non-essential retail, you name it, to shooting of pheasants. You know, people have raised all sorts of issues that are particular to them, which I understand and which are very difficult for people. But the purpose of level five is in all our interests collectively to reduce the movement of people, the gatherings, reduce our social contacts, with a view to getting the numbers of cases down very low. We are on a downward trajectory compared to where we were two weeks ago. Level three was having an impact. The restrictions to the interaction between households to one household only was having an impact. And now clearly level five, I think, will have an impact on top of that as well. And I think if we all work together, we can get the numbers down and get back then to a reasonable position in December. Deputy. Deputy Nolan. Thank you for your response. And I do understand that it's important to protect the lives and safety of the public. However, some of the restrictions do not make any sense. And one of them that I'm challenging here today is the restrictions with the marts. Because of food production being an essential activity, I would just like that to be questioned. And more and indeed challenged. I note that Minister Eamon Ryan stated at the start of October that the first tranche of 7,900 rural homes under the national broadband plan will be passed and ready for high speed fibre within the next 10 weeks. And while this is great for these homes, it is manifestly insufficient. Because there was not a single Midland County included in that announcement. We are undergoing a just transition in the Midlands. And it's totally unfair in terms of job creation and everything else. And we are on the back foot very much because of the lack of broadband infrastructure. So I would just ask you if you could direct both Ministers McConnell Oak and Minister Eamon Ryan to brief rural deputies on the outstanding issues that I have raised here today. Many people are worried, particularly businesses, Taoiseach. And it does appear at times that the cart has been put before the horse in terms of the actions taken by government. Because we have an online trading voucher of 19.8 million to businesses. But many of those businesses do not have adequate broadband. Thank you Deputy. So there is no point in introducing these measures such as that or such as the click and collect method or approach. We need to ensure that those businesses have adequate broadband. Thank you. Thank you. And again, as I say in relation to the restrictions in terms of the MARTS, they mirror exactly what happened between April and the 8th of June during the first phase of COVID-19 restrictions. And whilst it does pose challenges, you know, people manage to get through that. And we're simply saying for the six weeks of level five, it is important we all work to try and get through this, notwithstanding the challenges it presents for people. I don't understate those those challenges, but I think it's important that we all work collectively to get the case numbers down. And this is the most effective way to do it across the board in terms of a societal response to this. And, you know, we can concede to each sector as we go along. And before you know it, you're back at some other level that won't be effective. And that is the issue for us as a society. And I think we just we will continue to work. And I know that Minister Eamon Ryan and Minister McConnell Lough have been talking to deputies from all parties, including their own parties are on to them as well, very strongly on these issues, particularly in relation to the issues of rural Ireland. Our own TDs and senators have been very strong in relation to these issues and assertive. And I no doubt that the ministers will come before the House and talk to deputies from all parties, as will Minister Eamon Ryan as well. Terminali instructions. Thank you, Mr Messiah. Thank you for coming, Mr Mustafa Tomesz.