Page 84 of the programme for Government refers to broadband. Never has it been more evident than during Covid how important it is to roll out the national broadband plan. The programme for Government refers to facilitating remote working and innovation opportunities. In large areas of north-west Meath in my Meath West constituency, including Oldcastle, Athboy, Ballivor, Kildalkey, Delvin, Collinstown and Castlepollard, broadband is very poor, with little or no access. This makes it nearly impossible for local businesses to trade or conduct their day-to-day business. It is impossible for people to work from home. Leaving certificate students found it nearly impossible to do their school work during Covid. The national broadband plan was signed in April 2017 with a guide of seven years. We are nearly halfway through this plan and we have no definitive timeline for when it will be implemented in all rural areas of the country. Will the roll-out plan begin any time soon in Meath West? Businesses are moving out of rural Ireland because of this.

I thank the Deputy for the question. The contract for the national broadband plan was signed last year. I was in a rural part of west Wicklow to sign it. I remember my Secretary General saying to me at the time that I had got a lot of abuse about it and there had been a lot of controversy, but I would never regret signing the contract. This national broadband plan will bring high-speed broadband to more than 1 million people in 500,000 premises across rural Ireland, including every home, farm and business. It will cover about 100,000 premises each year, starting next year. It will take seven years to do it but we will try to do it quicker if at all possible. The Deputy's party was wrong to oppose it. Sinn Féin opposed it, so do not pretend that it was in favour of bringing broadband to rural areas. It was against it and came up with no other alternative.