Page 61 of the programme for Government states that access to high-quality broadband across Ireland is essential to the development of all parts of our country. The Taoiseach may have seen national television and newspaper reports in recent weeks that Gaggan, west of Bandon, has little or no broadband. Areas in Kinsale, Bandon and Clonakilty all the way back to the three peninsulas in west Cork have similar nightmares. Owing to Covid, the previous Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment allowed extra capacity to broadband and mobile phone companies to help people who live in rural communities to access broadband and phone services. Strangely enough, not one area that had issues in west Cork that I am aware of got extra services due to this extra capacity being given, leading to the question: where in rural Ireland was the extra capacity rolled out?

Many people who could work from home are unable to do so. The people of Gaggan, like many more in west Cork, are subject to spending their day in a church car park so that they can work. What can I tell the people of Gaggan, Bandon and other parts of west Cork? Will they get a broadband service immediately or will they have to continue to go to the church car park for broadband?

Historically, broadband has been underprovided in rural areas. That said, the programme for Government is committed to rolling out the national broadband contract as agreed by the previous Government. The indications are that the company may be in a position to accelerate some dimensions of that plan. The objective is to get broadband rolled out as quickly as possible. The Minister will be looking at hubs, for example, in certain locations that may facilitate people in rural areas to get quicker and more effective access and greater connectivity. To answer the Deputy's question, I cannot promise him something immediately, but it is very high on the Government's agenda to roll out the broadband plan as fast as possible and to do so in a way that would give communities quicker access than may have been previously envisaged.