Danny Healy-Rae Demands Broadband Action for Kerry Communities
Danny Healy-Rae pressed the minister and the government over a lack of broadband rollout and mobile coverage in Kerry, saying "there's nothing happening" and urging officials to provide funding and get companies working. He warned that Kerry is "decimated without service" and called for urgent repairs and delivery of promised services.
Call for immediate broadband funding
Danny Healy-Rae asked that money be released so contractors can return to work on broadband in Kerry, saying promises have not translated into repairs or new installations and appealing directly to the minister for action.
Local impact in Kerry
He described widespread failures in both fixed broadband and mobile phone coverage across Kerry, stressing that simple repairs are not being made and that communities are suffering as a result.
Government response and responsibility
The minister replied that responsibility for the National Broadband Plan falls within Minister Ryan's department and that that department is working closely with NBI to try to roll out the service as quickly as possible.
Community broadband connection points
The minister said his department has funded broadband connection points in local community halls so people without home broadband can access high-speed connections either inside the hall or from their cars. He stated 200 points will be connected by the end of the year and a further 100 early next year, and that Kerry was not left out of that programme.
Next steps and local advice
Both speakers referenced the role of local broadband officers in identifying need. The minister advised anyone with urgent issues to contact the broadband officer in their local authority to seek assistance.
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I'm asking you, please, there's so much talk and promises about the broadband, would you please give them the money and get them out there working because there's nothing happening in Kerry with two ears, nothing, nothing at all since, since, what's the name of the other company, the Eire, since they have stopped even repairing things now, simple things, nothing at all happening, they're saying that there's a new company drafted in by the government, yet there's nothing happening. Please get them working, Kerry is decimated without service, and on top of it, we don't even have mobile phone coverage, the whole thing has gone well. That's the honest truth, Minister. Well, thank you, Deputy, and the rollout of the National Broadband Plan, actually, the responsibility for that falls within Minister Ryan's department, and I know that he's working very closely with NBI in an effort to try and roll this out. As quickly as possible, but in the meantime, the good news is that my department has a number of broadband connection points in the local community halls, and you can go in there and you can get the high speed broadband that you need, and that's why I have provided money now, and I just read out one in Kildare, and I'm sure that I know that Kerry wasn't left out. I can't tell you many people, I don't have the list here, but Kerry certainly wasn't left out when it came to the broadband connection points. The purpose of those is that if you don't have good broadband in your house, you can go down to your local community centre, and you can get that connection that you need. You can either get it outside in your car, or you can go into the community hall, and the local broadband officers in the local authorities have been working extremely hard right across the country. They identified the areas that needed that, and they asked us to get those connected, and we have 200 of them being connected at the end of the year, and there will be another 100 early next year, so 300 points across the country. And what I'm saying is, if there are instances that there is a real need there, contact the broadband officer in your local authority. We need 300 that are for the country in... Be bad for your health, maybe.
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