I have been told there is no Chairman of the Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport, so it is very difficult for it to get any work done.

There is a Vice Chairman.

The Minister is at large.

The programme for Government from last year stated:

The tender process for the National Broadband Plan is currently underway and will influence the contract’s terms and conditions. Following the completion of the tender process and the awarding of the contract, targeted for June 2017, the new Government will work with the winners to accelerate the roll out of the infrastructure next year.

It is now July 2017. There are still 542,000 rural homes and businesses without high-speed broadband. It is a complete shambles. No one is clear about the pathway to proper access to broadband across Ireland and people are in despair and have no sense of there being any capacity on the Government's part to deliver this. This will cost jobs in SMEs across rural areas and makes existing jobs difficult to retain.

Recently, Deputy Michael Moynihan and I visited Kanturk and met a company, Avonmore electrical, and North Cork Creameries and listened to how they attempt to cope in the absence of high-speed broadband. It reflects on their incredible professionalism and commitment but it speaks very badly of the State and its capacity to roll out a basic tender. Could the Taoiseach explain why the Government's commitment on broadband has not been delivered? Can he explain the delay? When can the homes and businesses across Ireland expect to get access to high-speed quality broadband.

Can the Taoiseach respond on promised legislation on high-speed broadband?

We have a question on the same issue.

Briefly.

Last week the Minister, Deputy Naughten, told the Dáil that he did not expect the first homes to be connected to the State broadband scheme until after Eir had concluded a commercial contract connecting 300,000 rural homes to broadband. Can the Taoiseach confirm this? Can he also confirm that over half a million customers in rural areas will not see the roll out of rural broadband commence until at least 2019, after this commercial scheme is completed? Does the Taoiseach accept reports that claim that it could now be 2023 or 2024 before many of these 500,000 homes and businesses see any progress towards linking them to broadband? In the context of Brexit and its likely impact on agriculture, the agrifood industry, fishing communities and rural communities, the failure by Government to deliver broadband places rural Ireland at a distinct economic and social disadvantage. It shows once again that people in rural areas are treated like second class citizens.

There is no legislation promised in this area.

It is in the programme for Government.

The procurement process is now at the detailed solutions phase and bidders have been invited to submit their detailed solutions in September. This is the last stage of the procurement process before moving to final tenders.

It was meant to be in 2012.

In terms of phasing in or rolling out high-speed broadband, over 50% of premises are already covered and it is anticipated that 75% will be covered by 2018.

Not a hope.

It is hoped more than 90% will be covered by the end of 2020.

There is no credibility in that statement.