The lack of broadband is now becoming a living nightmare for thousands of workers who cannot work from their homes and students who are unable to connect from their homes to the schools. We await the roll-out of national broadband, which is great, whenever it happens. In the last week alone, I have been contacted by families from Dunmanway, Coomhola, Bantry, Drimoleague, Kinsale, Bandon, Adrigole, Dungarvan and up to 40 households in Kilmacsimon. All these have little or no broadband in west Cork.

Only a number of months ago, I asked the Taoiseach to invest in wireless operator companies, such as DigitalForge, which can provide 70 Mbps broadband to the home at a minimum cost. This would have meant a tiny investment by the State but no one listened. One young student in Drimoleague who I spoke to over the weekend and who has since spoken to 103FM has no mobile phone coverage, never mind broadband, and he is trying to do his leaving certificate. What answer has the Tánaiste for these students or workers in west Cork who are still in the dark ages with regard to communication?

We have signed the contract for the national broadband plan. That is a €3 billion investment in rural Ireland, probably the biggest ever investment in rural Ireland and perhaps the most significant since rural electrification. With that plan, we are able to connect approximately 100,000 farms, businesses and homes across rural Ireland to high-speed broadband every year. We would love to be able to do it more quickly. It will take between five and seven years, unfortunately. I know that is a huge disappointment for people who want and need broadband now but that is as quick as we can do it. If it can be sped up in any way, the money and political will are there.