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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Mar 2022

Vol. 1018 No. 7

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

An Garda Síochána

Táim buíoch go bhfuil mé ábalta labhairt ar an ngá atá le hacmhainní breise Garda i bhFionnghlas.

As the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, might be aware, I represent the constituency of Dublin North-West, which encompasses Finglas, Ballymun, Santry, Whitehall, Meakstown, Glasnevin and parts of Beaumont. Part of my constituency lies within the Garda divisional area known as the K district, which comprises Finglas, Cabra and Blanchardstown. This Garda divisional area covers a district with a population of about 160,000 people. Finglas is a fast-growing area with a population of about 40,000.

It is clear from an analysis of Garda resources from throughout the country that there is significant variation in the numbers of gardaí relative to the size of communities. An analysis of Garda manpower throughout the country's 28 divisions highlights wide variations in the strength of the force relative to the size of communities, creating an obvious imbalance in the way these communities are being served. For example, Limerick city, with a population of approximately 95,000, has 377 gardaí serving the community. Finglas, by contrast, which has a population of 40,000, has approximately 90 gardaí covering the area. As can be seen immediately, there is a glaring imbalance in respect of available Garda resources in this densely populated area. Issues that have come to national attention involve illegal drug-related activity, gang-related criminality and feuding among gangs, which are greatly affecting the community of Finglas and impacting on those going about their daily business. Much of this activity is confined to a small number of people in a small number of areas, but it has the effect of creating a climate of fear for families, and especially the elderly, in sections of the community.

People impacted by this criminal activity are often afraid to go to the Garda and report these matters for fear of reprisals from these gangs or by those involved in criminality.

For a number of years, there has been a number of individuals associated with what is known locally as the "Gucci Gang". People associated with this criminal gang have been involved in horrific activity that has shocked the community with shootings, kidnappings and beatings. There is also ongoing issues with people from Finglas and Cabra organising fights on Facebook, which have resulted in serious injuries. In the light of this criminal activity, I commend the efforts of local community activists and others to draw young people away from this type of activity. In spite of the lack of resources available to the Garda, I acknowledge the good work they have done around Finglas in combating this criminal activity.

A recent successful Garda operation was carried out in the Finglas area and resulted in the seizure of guns and money from a criminal gang. The operation also resulted in a number of houses used by this criminal gang being boarded up by Dublin City Council. The gardaí would be the first to acknowledge that more needs to be done and if they had the proper resources, they could even be more effective.

At every policing forum or joint policing committee meeting, the issue of the lack of Garda resources is raised by me, other public representatives and members of the community. We need to be listened to. There is no substitute for gardaí on the ground in our communities and interacting with people. That is why more gardaí and resources are needed to help safeguard the community.

On behalf of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter.

As he will be aware, under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, which encompasses all operational policing matters, including the allocation of resources. The Minister for Justice has no statutory role in these operational, policing matters.

The Government and the Minister are conscious of the very serious impact that drug and gang-related violence can have on local communities. The ongoing disruption of the supply of all illicit drugs remains a priority for An Garda Síochána and the other State agencies tasked with responsibilities in this regard.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that two suspected firearms, ammunition and cash to the value of more than €47,000 were seized during a number of searches conducted by gardaí in the Finglas area on 10 February 2022, following a number of serious incidents related to ongoing criminal activity in the vicinity in recent weeks.

Daily reassurance patrols are being carried out in the Ratoath area in recognition of the importance of visible policing in the local community and gardaí in Finglas are in ongoing contact with Dublin City Council in relation to unoccupied housing and the potential use of same by criminal elements. A number of addresses have been taken possession of and boarded up by Dublin City Council at the conclusion of Garda searches.

The Government is committed to supporting a strong and visible police presence throughout the country to detect and prevent crime and to provide reassurance to local communities across the country.

An unprecedented allocation of in excess of €2 billion was provided in budget 2022 for An Garda Síochána, which includes funding for the recruitment of an additional 800 gardaí and up to 400 Garda staff. Many of the Garda members to be recruited will be drawn from the Garda recruitment competition that opened just last month.

As the Deputy will be aware, Finglas Garda station is located within the Blanchardstown district of the Dublin metropolitan region, DMR, west division. I am informed that, on 31 January 2022, the most recent date for which figures are available, there were 753 Garda members allocated to the DMR west division. This represents an increase of 6% since December 2018 when there were 709 gardaí assigned to the district. As of 31 January this year, a total of 342 Garda members were assigned to Blanchardstown district, with 98 members assigned to Finglas Garda station.

I am further informed that a competition for the community policing sergeant position is now completed and the appointment of a new sergeant is expected in the coming weeks.

While the Deputy will appreciate that the allocation of resources is an operational matter for the Commissioner, I am assured that the situation remains closely monitored by the Garda senior leadership team, particularly in view of commitments to the continued roll-out of the operating model of policing at divisional level to ensure optimum use of all Garda resources in providing the best possible Garda service to the community.

I reassure the Deputy that the Minister will continue to engage closely with the Garda Commissioner on this issue and all community safety issues in the context of prioritising the delivery of the suite of community safety commitments contained in the programme for Government and the justice plan of the Department.

It took two years for a community garda to be appointed in Finglas, and that individual has only recently been appointed. While I welcome the appointment, it is unacceptable that this should have happened.

It is also unacceptable that between 90 and 98 gardaí are in the Finglas area on three different shifts. In effect, there are only a certain number of gardaí on each shift. Unfortunately, when people ring the Garda station they are told that there are no cars available. This is happening all the time and it is unacceptable.

If the Garda Commissioner is listening, I would like him to look at the areas, but particularly the Finglas area I am dealing with now, compare what is being used in other parts of the country and the proportion of gardaí in other areas, and see whether there is a significant lack of gardaí in the Finglas area.

I am on the Finglas-Cabra drugs task force for more than 20 years. The amount of resources that are being put into that is unacceptable. There is not a regular top-up when it comes to resources for them. The same happens with the youth resource centre in The Den and the Finglas Youth Resource Centre in Finglas West. The resources are just not good enough. We need to look at all the resources across the board, including the Garda. It is not good enough.

I heard what the Minister said, and I am delighted, about the operation that took place in Finglas, but how many years has it taken to deal with this particular gang? This is going on years. While it is welcome, it should never have got to this stage where there was a headquarters in Finglas out of which these gangs operated. It is unacceptable.

I, again, thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. All the Deputies in the area have continuously raised this matter, including Deputy McAuliffe, who is seated behind me here.

In July last year, An Garda Síochána commenced an enhanced national anti-drug strategy, Operation Tara, which has a strong focus on tackling street-level dealing throughout rural and urban Ireland. Operation Tara works to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks at all levels involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of drugs.

The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, GNDOCB, has a critical role to play and is having success in disrupting drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs by organised crime. The bureau's work is supported by the divisional drug units nationwide and by all gardaí working in local communities. The bureau also works closely and productively with international law enforcement partners.

Gardaí continue to work closely with local authorities, the HSE, NGOs, community groups and other State agencies to tackle the problems of drug addiction and drug abuse.

On 12 January 2021, An Garda Síochána issued operational statistics on the work of the GNDOCB last year, which included cash seizures in 2021 of €5,639,310 and £38,571. Cash forfeited to the State in 2021 comprised of €8,230,886, £142,520 and $23 while drugs seized were valued at €63.689 million.

I am confident that An Garda Síochána will continue to direct significant resources to tackling the scourge of this kind of crime both in Finglas and throughout the country.

Further and Higher Education

I am grateful to the Ceann Comhairle for reselecting this particular Topical Issue matter and, indeed, to the Minister for making himself available at this very late hour.

As previously discussed with the Minister and, indeed, Education and Training Boards Ireland, ETBI, in recent weeks, there is a clear deficiency in further and higher education facilities in Fingal, specifically, in Swords, the county town and one of the fastest growing communities in the country with a population expected to exceed 100,000 people in the next decade.

The services are currently met by facilities which are perhaps reflective of prior policies of 20 or 30 years ago. The emphasis the Minister has placed on the enhancement of further and higher education in Ireland is welcome, including the very significant increase in budgets that the education and training boards, ETBs, have mentioned for delivery nationwide. Swords in particular, with such a dense population, offers the possibility of developing and delivering additional educational facilities that can unlock skills and take Ireland into the next decade. As the climate action spokesperson for my party, I know it is vital for a carbon-neutral society that we deliver upon the likes of the retrofitting scheme with the necessary skill sets. Clearly, this will be a dramatic area of growth in the coming years, not to mention the range of other training available across the State, and through apprenticeships.

It is extraordinarily important to see the further education and training, FET, feature that is available on CAO applications this year. I commend the Minister on his relentless focus on this much neglected area of education and the development of apprenticeships in existing and emerging sectors, such as cybersecurity and other technology which will emerge in the coming years as vital.

Fingal is the most diverse and youngest community in the country and it is the youngest community in Europe. On that basis, there should be significant further investment by the Department in Swords and in communities like Balbriggan, which again has seen dramatic growth in recent decades. Fifteen years ago the population of Balbriggan was 6,000 to 7,000 and now it is in excess of 20,000. However, there are gaps and I believe that Fingal is one such gap that can be addressed, in particular with the additional emphasis that has been placed by the Government and the Minister on this sector. In order to meet the need to give people the option both at local and national level to meet the skills required in the coming decades, it is crucial that we invest in the long-term health of the nation and its long-term education. Moreover, by providing these services in areas of maximum impact that will be key to this goal, Swords offers the Department a chance to make a significant impact on a young and growing population. I fully expect the coming census to show the population is far above 55,000, if not 60,000. I hope the Minister, along with the Education and Training Boards Ireland and the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board, DDLETB, will look upon it as a suitable location given its proximity to the city but also the significant young population that is located there.

I thank my colleague, Deputy Alan Farrell, for raising this very important issue this evening and also for talking about it on a regular and ongoing basis. I also thank him for his interest in and commitment to FET and in particular how it can benefit the community of Swords in the county of Fingal.

As the Deputy has outlined, Fingal county has shown the highest growth of any local authority in Ireland over the past 20 years. Swords is officially the largest town in Dublin and the second largest in the country, and in the next decade it is expected to reach a population of 100,000. The previous census, in 2016, showed the population was approximately 46,000. The growth since then has been significant and that will continue. Increasing further education and training provision to meet the needs of the diverse and fast-growing community in Swords and in Fingal is a priority for the Department and the Government and I am pleased to say it is a priority for the DDLETB. I know the Deputy has met with the board to discuss the issue.

Significant progress has already been made. The opening of the new FET facility for Swords, Burgundy House, took place in autumn 2021, following delays experienced by many projects due to Covid. I am delighted the centre is now open. It is exceptionally well equipped, with two IT suites, plus five spacious classrooms, as well as plans for further development of the third floor. Together with the neighbouring facility in the plaza, these centres are very accessible and are in a town centre location. The DDLETB has also invested considerably in Balbriggan with the opening of a second FET centre there, Castlemill Education Centre, in 2019. These developments, coupled together, have more than doubled FET capacity in the north east of the county and that is most welcome.

I can also confirm that work is ongoing on the development of the second set of three-year strategic performance agreements between SOLAS and the 16 ETBs. These agreements are an opportunity for SOLAS as the FET agency to sit down with the ETBs and invite them to map out their strategic priorities and how they, individually, intend to contribute to our overall aim and ambition for FET. Furthermore, the agreements identify the key risks and challenges which must be mitigated and addressed in order to ensure successful delivery of these agreements in the region. I have no doubt that any issues in relation to the demand for FET provision in Swords will be addressed in the strategic performance agreement process between SOLAS and the DDLETB.

I am also pleased to be talking about the matter this evening in the context of the significant announcement we have just made on capital spending in both higher and further education. We have set out our intention to spend €430 million on new capital programmes in the further and higher education sector between now and 2025. Some 45% of that is allocated to FET. This is truly a scale of capital investment that we have not seen in a very long time, if ever. The capital investment will invite our ETBs to put forward their ideas for a FET college of the future project. I note that in its submission to the Fingal county development plan for 2023 to 2029, the DDLETB outlined the business case for the development of a new FET college of the future in Fingal. My understanding is that it intends to develop a new integrated college structure and campus in Swords with satellite campuses around the county of Fingal, including Burgundy House and Baldoyle Training Centre. It wants to create a centre of excellence offering integrated, seamless learning opportunities and to provide learning pathways for school-leavers and adults in Fingal.

In its submission, it also presented a case for commissioning and developing a new outdoor education facility to meet the growing needs of the younger population to which Deputy Farrell referred in Fingal, thereby future-proofing perhaps the needs of young people to connect, engage and develop in their own community. It will be invited to put that forward now as part of our capital call.

There was some very positive news contained within the Minister's response. I was especially pleased to be informed recently of the very significant increase in the capital budget and to learn that, as he mentioned, a substantial part of it, 45%, is to be expended in this particular area. That shows the sort of commitment we need in order to meet the demand of a growing young population, but also to broaden the options available to younger people, in particular school-leavers.

My engagement with ETBI was based on an exceptional level of knowledge and information exchange. A number of Dublin Deputies attended the meeting last week, as well as Deputies from all over the country. A level of ambition was set out, in particular in trying to support and deliver upon recent Government policy in the area of retrofitting but also areas like cybersecurity and the technology and software of the future. That is something I would wholeheartedly support.

I am very pleased to hear of the emphasis on the delivery of such a facility in the community of Swords with satellite facilities to be delivered elsewhere or enhanced in other communities. The community in Fingal will certainly welcome this level of investment. I very much look forward to visiting the fantastic new facility in County Louth on Monday. Later this month, I will meet with the DDLETB in order to thrash out its plans for my constituency, so the Minister's response is very welcome. I appreciate his presence this evening at this very late hour.

I again thank Deputy Farrell for raising the issue. My message to the DDLETB in the context of Swords, and my message to all ETBs, is that we have a very significant pot of funding to invest in FET colleges of the future, to expand provision and to upgrade facilities for exactly the reasons the Deputy outlines, including the need to make sure we have the skills we require in this country to meet some of the massive challenges we face in particular in the area Deputy Farrell has responsibility for in my party in terms of the climate agenda, retrofitting, the green economy but also regarding Housing for All and making sure we can meet our housing targets and upskill and reskill people. There are so many opportunities in that regard.

This will be an opportunity for all the ETBs, including Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB, to put forward their proposals. I note with interest and excitement the fact a lot of work has already been done in Fingal in regard to how they will deliver this, with Swords as the hub and with spokes out across other parts of the county.

I want to take the opportunity to thank everybody involved in DDLETB for their work and thank everybody involved in adult education in the Deputy's constituency for the work they have done. It has been a very challenging number of years with the Covid pandemic, to put it mildly, but really good work is being done. I am delighted to say there are 152 courses planned in 2022, offering 1,396 places in Swords in further education and training, which is a 28% increase on 2019, which is probably the last comparable year before the Covid pandemic. Of course, delivery methods include part-time, full-time, online, blended and a range of unaccredited provisions and accredited provisions up to level 5. There is a new vocational training opportunity course to be delivered in the area in 2022 and there is also specialist provision for early school leavers in Swords Youthreach Centre, where there are adult literacy and back to education programmes. A lot of very good work is being done in Swords in this area. I look forward to the discussions we will have about how we can do more and future-proof that offering.

Environmental Schemes

There is no doubt the better energy warmer homes scheme is an important support for many eligible homeowners. It is one of the key tools that will help to reduce the use of carbon in our economy and help us reach our climate action goals. Since 2000, more than 143,000 homes have availed of the scheme and, in some ways, it has been a victim of its own success. When it was first promoted over a decade ago, many people who were eligible availed of the scheme but benefited from very basic upgrades, such as attic insulation. A decade later and with improved technology, these homeowners, many of whom are over 70 and on fuel allowance, wish to avail of other interventions, such as wraparound external insulation. The bad news is that they are being rejected by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, as they are deemed to have previously availed of the scheme, even though those availing of the scheme for the first time this year will receive a far greater intervention.

I am aware of the changes that were made to the scheme last month as part of the Government's wider announcement in this area and I received a parliamentary question reply from the Department confirming that a second application may be possible. It stated very clearly that applications may be accepted from qualifying homeowners who were previously in receipt of support under the scheme but who could still benefit from deeper upgrade measures. This means homeowners will not be precluded from applying for the second time for qualifying works not previously carried out on their properties. It seems clear but when the SEAI is contacted and these people apply again, they are in fact precluded and their application is rejected. Have the recent changes been embedded yet with the SEAI? Is every person who applies for the scheme for a second time able to avail of the scheme and what are the qualifying criteria? Equally, there have been calls for the application process to be brought online to make it speedier.

As the Minister of State knows, in order to qualify for the better energy warmer homes scheme, there are very strict criteria linked to certain social welfare payments. I think we can both agree there is a serious risk of fuel poverty for people who are availing of this scheme and for those who are on the other side of an arbitrary threshold. Along with the increasing demand for better interventions, there are also more than 7,000 homes waiting for works under this scheme. Will the Minister of State outline how the Government hopes to break down the backlog that has grown during the pandemic and how he and the Minister, Deputy Harris, are addressing the skills shortage in this area? There has been a steady decline in the number of homes being completed through this scheme in Dublin in the past five years, from 1,598 in 2017 to just 693 last year. Are there plans to increase numbers in what is a very beneficial scheme that has generated much demand?

I thank Deputy McAuliffe for raising this important issue and I know he has raised it on a number of occasions. I am grateful for the opportunity to give an update on Government action on the better energy warmer homes scheme.

The programme for Government and the climate action plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a building energy rating, BER, of B2 and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings by the end of this decade. These targets represent a very significant increase in both the volume and depth of retrofit activity in Ireland. The recently published national retrofit plan sets out how we will achieve these targets and identifies an unprecedented €8 billion to support homeowners to retrofit their homes to 2030. It includes a range of measures aimed at supporting those least able to afford to retrofit. Recently, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, also announced further improvements to the supports available to homeowners to retrofit their homes, in line with the commitments in the national retrofit plan.

The better energy warmer homes scheme delivers free energy upgrades to eligible homeowners in low income households who are vulnerable to energy poverty. It is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Since the start of the scheme in 2000, more than 143,000 free upgrades have been supported by the scheme. In 2021, the average cost of the energy efficiency measures provided per household was €17,100. A budget allocation of €109 million has been provided for the scheme this year. This will support an increase in the number of free home upgrades from an average of 177 per month in 2021 to 400 per month this year, helping to reduce waiting times.

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications committed to reviewing qualifying criteria for the scheme, including the rule only allowing one visit to homeowners. I am delighted to tell the Deputy that several revisions to the scheme were made recently to better target those in need. For the first time, applications will be accepted from qualifying homeowners who previously received supports under the scheme but who could still benefit from even deeper measures. This means that applicants will now be able to have a second visit under the scheme. The scheme will target the worst performing properties by prioritising homes that were built and occupied before 1993 and have a pre-works BER of E, F or G. Existing applications will not be affected by this change.

The scheme eligibility criteria will also be extended to include those in receipt of the disability allowance for more than six months who have a child under seven years. The scheme is now open to applicants in receipt of the following welfare payments: fuel allowance; jobseeker’s allowance for over six months and having a child under seven; working family payment; one-parent family payment; domiciliary care allowance; carer's allowance where someone lives with the person they are caring for; and disability allowance for over six months and having a child under seven. The eligibility criteria are kept under ongoing review with the Department of Social Protection to ensure they are consistent with and complementary to the other income support schemes offered by that Department.

There are currently just over 7,000 homes awaiting works on the better energy, warmer homes scheme work programme. This includes homes that are awaiting the initial survey of their home; have completed an initial home survey and are awaiting allocation to a contractor; have been allocated to a contractor for works; or are currently undergoing works.

Activity under this scheme, and the associated expenditure, were significantly impacted in both 2020 and 2021 by the Covid pandemic, when construction activity was paused for approximately 12 months. However, activity did ramp up again towards the end of last year and there is confidence around the capacity to deliver 400 homes per month under this scheme this year. Works under the scheme have now recommenced in line with activity in the residential construction sector. SEAI data indicate that for homes completed to date in 2021 , the average time from application to completion was approximately 26 months, taking into account the increase in waiting times due to the impact of Covid. The Department is happy to confirm that the SEAI is now expecting that the current backlog can be cleared within the next 18 months.

A research network on fuel poverty chaired by the Economic and Social Research Institute has been established to examine the data and metrics needed to improve existing measures around fuel poverty in Ireland. The details I have outlined demonstrate the Government's significant commitments to supporting those at risk of energy poverty.

I particularly welcome the Minister of State's confirmation regarding the particular criteria I outlined, when he stated:

For the first time, applications will be accepted from qualifying homeowners who previously received supports under the scheme but who could still benefit from even deeper measures. This means that applicants will now be able to have a second visit under the scheme.

It has now been confirmed in response to a parliamentary question and the Minister of State has come before the House and confirmed it. I ask that we make sure the SEAI is also aware of this change and that this is being communicated to those people who apply.

The scheme is very widely supported and it is hugely beneficial to people on very low incomes. I particularly welcome the extension to those on disability allowance for more than six months because that brings in a further catchment for what is a very important scheme. In many cases, these may be homeowners who purchased their homes from local authorities but who still may be on very limited income. I welcome the two clarifications and ask the Minister of State to go further and ensure that the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has communicated this change effectively to the SEAI and that it is reporting that back to those people who make applications.

On waiting times, a commitment that we would clear the backlog in the next 18 months is welcome. I would like it to go further, as I am sure would the Minister of State. Have we taken fully into account the increased role for the sector under this scheme as well as other measures? The comments by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science earlier about further education are something we should be taking into account. If there is an option for someone to take up an apprenticeship and specialise in insulation, I would tell the mothers and fathers of Ireland there is plenty of work in the area. I welcome the equality being given to further education and apprenticeships in the CAO scheme.

I again thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter. I have listened with real interest to his points.

Until 2018 the scheme predominantly focused on delivering shallow measures such as attic or cavity wall insulation. In many cases where the walls were not cavity walls, only the attic was insulated. With the expansion of the scheme in 2018, internal and external wall insulation was introduced, which meant that solid wall properties could now receive insulation under the scheme. With the scheme expansion, many homeowners who only received attic insulation previously but who, under current scheme rules, qualify for wall insulation began contesting the one home, one visit rule. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications committed to reviewing the qualifying criteria for the scheme and the Government recently announced several revisions to that scheme. In this regard, applications may be accepted from qualifying homeowners who previously received supports under the scheme and who could still benefit from deeper upgrade measures. This means homeowners will not be precluded from applying a second time for qualifying works not previously carried out on their properties.

Changes to the eligibility criteria for the scheme to better target those in need have now been made. These include accepting applications from homeowners who have received works under the scheme but who could still benefit from the deeper measures now available, the extension of the eligibility criteria for the scheme to encompass people in receipt of the disability allowance for more than six months and who have a child under seven years, and a scheme targeted at the worst performing properties by prioritising those homes that were built and occupied before January 1993 and have a pre-works BER of E, F or G on the waiting list. Existing applications irrespective of BER will not be effected.

Funding for the SEAI's free energy property retrofit schemes has increased dramatically in recent years, from €15 million in 2015 to a budget 2022 allocation of €118 million. It shows the Government's commitment to that issue. Under the better energy warmer homes scheme, the SEAI will provide 4,800 home energy upgrades to households this year.

Telecommunications Services

Every day I receive complaints from constituents about the dropping of mobile phone calls. Every day I ask people to move their location so that I can hear what they are saying because of the quality of mobile phone coverage. The Minister of State, coming from a rural constituency, will know exactly what I am talking about. On 1 February the Government launched the new national digital strategy, Harnessing Digital - The Digital Ireland Framework. One of the objectives set out in the framework was making connectivity available to everyone. It set a target that all populated areas would be covered by 5G not later than 2030. Eir today has 5G coverage over 70% of Ireland's population, covering 322 towns throughout the country. That is close to providing coverage for every town of a population of 500 or more. Three has population coverage of 79% for 5G technology. By 2028 we will have 146,000 km of fibre cable stretching across 96% of Ireland's landmass. Therefore, setting a goal for only covering the populated areas of the country two years later by 2030 is not very ambitious.

On top of that, the Minister of State's own Department of Justice, will have to retender for the TETRA radio communications network, the digital radio service for An Garda Síochána and for the other emergency services that is costing the taxpayer €40 million per annum at the moment. This network needs to be replaced with a 5G network and to have geographic coverage. That is not only to support the existing emergency services but also to support the remote drone operation through the Air Corps that provides Garda air support throughout Ireland and not only in the city of Dublin. That can be done with 5G technology.

Today there is a real gap in providing mobile voice and data services to address the blackspots around the country that are having a negative impact on business and tourism in our rural areas. This will have a significant impact on medical care, the care of older people and the use of technology on farms into the future. As one of the most dispersed populations in Europe, Ireland has a relatively high percentage of its landmass with no mobile data coverage. I believe now is the time to focus on the opportunity the State has by working in collaboration with industry to develop a shared rural network to address this issue and assist in the further balanced regional development and economic development of our rural areas. This shared rural network could provide the critical 4G and 5G coverage that would enhance the operation of our rural economy, support key activities such as farming, medical services, older people's schemes in rural areas, and SME business operations, and ensure people could remain connected when travelling around the country, working in rural Ireland or living in our rural areas.

I thank Deputy Naughten for raising this important issue for discussion. It is well recognised how important telecommunications services are to citizens for so many aspects of their daily lives, including remote working, studying and staying in touch with family members. These services have proved even more essential since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and will continue to provide vital support in accelerating digitalisation as part of our economic recovery from the pandemic.

Access to high-quality telecommunications services is also of crucial importance in the context of supporting the current and future development of enterprise in both rural and urban Ireland as well as supporting our emergency services. Ireland's level of connectivity to support digital activity has improved significantly in recent years. The Digital Economy and Society Index, DESI, is a composite index summarising relevant indicators in Europe's digital performance. Ireland ranked fifth among EU countries in 2021 compared with 11th in 2019. The continued investment by commercial operators and by the State through the national broadband plan will ensure Ireland is set to become the EU leader in connectivity by the second half of this decade.

Mobile coverage obligations are set out in licences granted by the independent regulator, ComReg, to mobile operators. ComReg advises that the current minimum coverage obligations in those licences are being considerably exceeded by all operators.

Capital investment by telecommunications operators over the past five years was in the order of €3.3 billion for both fixed and mobile services. This has significantly enhanced the availability of services, both voice and data, throughout Ireland, including in rural areas. Telecommunication operators have committed to continued investment programmes in the coming years, estimated to be in the region of €700 million per annum.

ComReg is currently in the process of running another multi-band spectrum award to assign rights of use in four spectrum bands. The award comprises 470 MHz of spectrum and represents a 46% increase in the harmonised spectrum assigned for the provision of wireless broadband services in Ireland. This will significantly enable the market to provide improved services to meet increasing consumer demand for mobile data and new services.

To assist consumers to choose the network provider that best meets their needs for where they live, work and travel, ComReg has developed a national outdoor coverage map. This map, which is available on the ComReg website, provides consumers with very clear information on where operators have good 2G, 3G and 4G coverage. For a truly connected society and economy, having access to both mobile and fixed services is important as these services are complementary to each other.

The national broadband plan, which is being deployed across every county, will ensure every home, business, farm and school in rural Ireland will have access to a future-proofed fibre broadband service on par with the best such service available in urban areas. Where citizens have a fixed fibre broadband service, this will reduce some pressure on mobile networks and free up capacity for other users. Another positive benefit results from the amount of fibre now being brought very deep into rural areas, which offers the potential for mobile operators to access this fibre to carry high volumes of data.

It is clearly evident that people living and working in rural areas have benefited from the very significant investment in upgrading both mobile and fixed telecommunications infrastructure. The Government's ambition is for this investment to continue into the future until Ireland has become the most connected country in the EU.

There is big ambition for providing fibre but none for mobile services. I am talking about establishing a shared rural network with all the operators on it. This would be complementary to the national broadband plan. There are similar models already operating in other markets, such as the UK and Germany. In fact, such a shared rural network is currently being built out in Northern Ireland. The estimated cost of doing that in Ireland is between €30 million and €50 million. That is small money and it would also slash the cost of the provision of an emergency and Garda communications network which must now be re-tendered and a new network built.

I am aware the telecoms industry is already engaging with the Government via IBEC to progress a phase 1 proof-of-concept roll-out of this particular shared rural network model. That will cost approximately €5 million if implemented in the short term. This project would ensure all operators have equal opportunity to provide a service in rural locations and would ensure in the short term that those communities with the poorest service today got an immediate benefit in the form of improved mobile phone coverage. It would be just like what we are doing with the national broadband plan, where we are giving universal access to a network available to all of the operators.

The Minister of State mentioned the auction that is to take place with ComReg. I ask that a small portion of that money, perhaps between €30 million and €50 million, be ring-fenced to establish a shared rural network across this country to ensure everyone has access to a 5G network.

I again thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter concerning the need for decisive steps to be taken to improve mobile phone telephone coverage in rural areas for individuals, businesses and emergency services. I will certainly bring to the Minister's attention his comments on the proposal for a shared rural network with costs estimated at between €30 million and €50 million. As I outlined, connectivity in rural areas, both fixed and mobile, is very much on an upward trajectory. Coverage at both a population and geographical level has greatly improved through the very substantial investments being made by commercial operators and through the Government's national broadband plan.

From a mobile perspective, in particular, a key determinant for quality coverage is the availability of suitable spectrum. Over the past decade, spectrum awards have consistently included appropriate spectrum that has allowed mobile operators to provide enhanced services for customers. ComReg is in the process of running another multiband spectrum award and this will include a number of spectrum bands, including the 700 MHz band. That band is important for the provision of widespread coverage, including in rural areas and on national transport routes. It is highly suitable for the provision of existing 4G and, over time, new 5G services. This is especially important in Ireland given our challenging demographic characteristics and the high and exponential costs associated with deploying very high levels of mobile coverage. This spectrum award process will incentivise commercial operators to continue to invest in their networks and to use the additional spectrum being made available to provide both enhanced and new services throughout the country, including in rural areas. Investment by commercial operators in their fixed and mobile networks, together with the Government's investment in the NBP, will position Ireland as a leader in digital connectivity in EU terms.

Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 12.05 a.m. go dtí 9.12 a.m., Dé Céadaoin, an 2 Márta 2022.
The Dáil adjourned at 12.05 a.m. until 9.12 a.m. on Wednesday, 2 March 2022.
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