Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021
349. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she has engaged with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to ensure access to fibre optic broadband and consistent phone signal for Gaeltacht communities and in particular the communities of Seanphobal and An Rinn, County Waterford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21359/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, my Department has no statutory role in the provision of communications networks, which the Deputy rightly acknowledges responsibility for delivery of the National Broadband Plan is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.
Delivery of high speed broadband to all parts of Ireland is a government priority and my Department has a particular interest in ensuring that our Gaeltacht regions are better connected and have access to high speed broadband.
Údarás na Gaeltachta, although not having a direct role or responsibility in the provision of broadband, has been to the forefront in recent years in highlighting the essential fibre broadband needs and requirements of rural Gaeltacht communities and in particular, Gaeltacht enterprises and business parks.
To this end, a significant number of Gaeltacht areas and Údarás na Gaeltachta business-parks are now supplied with fibre broadband or VDSL connections. This represents progress but the importance of the ongoing roll-out of improved connectivity across all Gaeltacht regions cannot be understated.
In relation to An Seanphobal and An Rinn in the Waterford Gaeltacht, Údarás na Gaeltachta supported client-companies in their endeavours to have fibre broadband brought to the areas. To that end, client companies in both An Rinn and An Seanphobal have been able to avail of fibre for the last three years - resulting in a significantly improved service.
Údarás na Gaeltachta has pioneered the concept of remote working in rural Gaeltacht areas and its gteic Digital Network of 30 innovation & digital hubs to be developed by Údarás na Gaeltachta in locations throughout Ireland’s Gaeltacht regions.
There are up to 16 hubs in operation with additional hubs coming on line as the lockdown restrictions are eased. These hubs include hot desk and shared space facilities for remote workers, entrepreneurs, concept developers and eworkers in addition to fully equipped office spaces and incubation units with high speed internet access to facilitate innovation and concept development in Ireland's Gaeltacht areas. The gteic network will be central to providing opportunities for remote working, especially for the Gaeltacht Diaspora looking to return home after the pandemic, with up to 700 desk spaces available when further hubs open and social distancing restrictions are eased.
This initiative not only aligns with key objectives of supporting enterprise development and innovation in remote areas but also continues to exploit the emerging opportunities in these regions on foot of the ongoing roll-out of the Government's National Broadband Plan.
