JOINT COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS, MARINE AND NATURAL RESOURCES debate -
Wednesday, 4 Apr 2007

Business of Joint Committee.

Chairman

For the benefit of members, I would like to read into the record a letter I received on behalf of the committee from Rex Comb, the chief executive of Eircom, on 30 March:

Dear Deputy O'Flynn,

I am very pleased to inform you and your Committee that today eircom has announced that we will upgrade the telephone network in the Black Valley to ensure that the local community will benefit from voice telephony and broadband services on a par with those available elsewhere.

eircom is now committed to spending a significant amount of capital expenditure (up to €500,000) in the coming financial year on the Black Valley. I have established a dedicated group within eircom to progress the matter including finalising a decision on the technology platform to be used. Due to the unique geographical challenges of the Black Valley and the prohibitive costs of deploying a traditional fixed line copper solution, it is likely that a wireless solution will be chosen. I am also committed to consultations with the local community during the planning and implementation stage of this project.

I am confident that this voluntary initiative by eircom will resolve a long-standing problem for the local Black Valley community. It also demonstrates eircom's commitment, unique in the competitive Irish telecommunications market, to provide a national network serving all households and businesses in all areas of the country.

Finally, I would like to thank the committee and yourself as chairman for your role in resolving this matter. In the course of various presentations we made to the committee, eircom has always been made aware of the strong views of the local community on this issue. We are delighted now to be in a position to respond positively to those representations.

A recent press release further states:

A final decision on the technology platform to be used has not been taken yet, but an internal eircom working group has been established. Due to the unique geographical challenges of the Black Valley and the prohibitive cost of deploying a traditional fixed line copper solution, it is likely that a wireless solution such as 3G/HSDPA or WiMax will be used. The local community will be consulted during the process, particularly as planning permission may be required.

Deputy Durkan

We should record our appreciation of Eircom for finally conceding that the technology is available to meet the requirements of the people in the Black Valley. I congratulate the Chairman and other members of the committee who repeatedly raised this issue. I acknowledge the perseverance and the consistence of the people of the Black Valley who made numerous representations and repeatedly contacted their public representatives. I will be short of a prop coming up to the election because I was able to say at regular intervals that we were able to put a man on the moon and speak to him 30 years ago but we could not send a voice into the Black Valley and get a response. I wish the people of the Black Valley well. It is a fitting end to their efforts.

Senator Coghlan

I thank the Chairman and the committee members for their excellent work, leadership and perseverance on this issue, including their visit to the Black Valley. The people of the area are elated because they have been disadvantaged for so long and they were cut off from the outside world. It is wonderful to think that in the coming months the valley will be as accessible as anywhere else by telephone. Even though I am not a committee member, the Chairman was kind enough to allow me to accompany delegations from the Black Valley that appeared before the committee on a number of occasions and it is important that due thanks should be accorded to him and the other members who worked on this issue. It was a wonderful job of work.

Deputy Ferris

This is a very good result following everybody's efforts and, in particular, the residents of the Black Valley whose human rights are finally being respected. I commend the Cathaoirleach who took the initiative to send a committee delegation to the area and the local elected representatives. It is a good day's work, with the people finally getting what they are entitled to and deserve.

Deputy O’Donovan

It is not before time that this issue has been resolved. I compliment the Chairman on his foresight, vision and tenacity in staying with this issue and taking a committee delegation to the area to see what was happening on the ground in the Black Valley. That was a step in the right direction. The committee was the catalyst in banging heads together and obtaining answers and results on this issue. The Black Valley is beautiful and I would rather be there than here today, but I do not have that power yet. This is a success story for the committee, the Chairman and the residents of the Black Valley, who persisted in difficult circumstances over the past 20 or 30 years to lobby for the basic right of telephone technology in this beautiful part of west Kerry.

Deputy Perry

I congratulate the Chairman on his solid determination on this project. With all the work this committee has done, this has been a constant issue. I equally recognise Eircom's investment to allow access to the service. Bringing members of the committee to the area and challenging representatives of the service provider on every occasion they appeared before the committee have finally brought a result. The Chairman must be personally very satisfied with his achievement. It represents recognition of people's entitlements. I congratulate the Chairman personally on this project which he was determined to bring to resolution.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

I congratulate the Chairman and other members who took an interest in this matter. It was a good example of us doing our work well and resolving a difficult issue.

Deputy F. O’Malley

Unfortunately, I was unable to go on the trip, but I congratulate those who were. It is good to have the service.

Deputy Durkan

The Deputy missed out.

Chairman

Mr. Noel Kissane and a number of other representatives of the Black Valley Community Group appeared before the committee at the request of Senator Coghlan, Deputy Healy-Rae and the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue. That represented the start. I was amazed to see a wonderful community in the Black Valley without a proper telephone service and using a radio service, Rurtel. It was my first time in the Black Valley. Although I was not driving, I received damage to the rear shock absorber on my car. However, I did not mind replacing it in the interests of the people. We had a great day down there. They are lovely people and it was good to listen to them and see their difficulties at first hand.

As a result the committee asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, to provide funding for the initial study. The funding was provided by ComReg and the South Western Regional Authority was asked to carry out the study and to report back to ComReg, which it did some months ago. The report was also sent to the committee. I record our thanks to John McAleer of the South Western Regional Authority, who joined us on the day in the Black Valley and offered a number of solutions. It appears that the solutions offered in his report are not unlike the solutions proposed by Eircom. I record my sincere appreciation to Mike Byrne, Chairman of ComReg for his work in bringing this to a conclusion in recent weeks.

I thank the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue, who has pushed for 12 months to get the matter resolved. I also thank the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, for also applying pressure. Equally importantly Eircom has responded positively now and has made a commitment. One of the local Members of the Oireachtas, Deputy Healy-Rae sent a letter to the committee thanking it for its work. Deputy Moynihan-Cronin has also done tremendous work on the matter, as has Senator Coghlan. I do not want to leave out the local authority members. However, the danger is that I might forget some. I believe Tom Fleming and John O'Connor were the two local councillors we met on site. Most importantly I thank the chairperson of the Black Valley Community Group and Siobhán Tangney.

As we are in public session, I will not say too much. However, the clerk to the committee had a major role in getting the issue determined for which I thank him. I also thank all the members of the committee who supported it. It is great that the committee took on the issue and was able to persuade all those involved to step up to the mark and provide a telephone service for the Black Valley. Not only are they getting a telephone service but a 3G and broadband service, which I expect to be top class. I hope there will be no difficulties with planning permission from Kerry County Council or any third party objector. I hope people will realise that it is an important telecommunications step for the people of the Black Valley and for the emergency services that work in Carrauntoohil rescuing people who might have lost their way or are injured in the mountain range. I thank all the members for their support. As this may be the last meeting, the members can justifiably be proud of the role they have played in the matter. I have no doubt that we will hear from the Black Valley residents in time.

Deputy Durkan

The Chairman would want to hope this promise is acted upon quickly.

Chairman

I have every confidence in Rex Comb and Pat Galvin from Eircom and I am happy the project will be brought to fruition.