Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 December 2012
285. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the possibility or likelihood of the provision of high-speed broadband in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare with particular reference to their business needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55567/12]
View answerThe Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed services of at least 30 Mbps are available to all of our citizens and businesses, well in advance of the EU’s target date of 2020, and that significantly higher speeds are available to as many homes and businesses as possible.
The National Broadband Plan for Ireland commits to high speed broadband availability across the country – specifically:
- 70 Mbps – 100 Mbps will be available from the commercial market operators to more than half of the population by 2015;
- At least 40 Mbps, and in many cases faster speeds, to at least a further 20% (and potentially as much as 35%) of the population during the lifetime of the Government;
and
- A minimum of 30 Mbps for every remaining home and business in the country, also during the lifetime of the Government.
During the preparation of the National Broadband Plan, the commercial market operators indicated that they expect to provide 70 Mbps to 100 Mbps services to 50% of the population by 2015. The areas to be provided with those services will be determined by the commercial market operators.
One of the first steps in delivering on the 30 Mbps and 40 Mbps commitments will be the completion of a formal national mapping exercise to determine the exact position in relation to commercial service providers’ existing and planned broadband services throughout the country.
The National Broadband Plan contains a commitment that my Department will undertake a full mapping exercise in respect of high speed broadband deployment. The mapping exercise will identify the areas of the country where there is market failure in the provision of high speed broadband services. It will also identify where the market is expected to succeed and fail in the delivery of high speed broadband over the coming years. Until that process is complete, the precise areas of the country which will require State intervention will not be known. I would reiterate however, that the Government remains committed to the delivery of the speeds referred to above, to ensure that all parts of Ireland, including areas such as Carbury, County Kildare, will have at least 30 Mbps connectivity.
I would also suggest that the person in question keeps in touch with broadband service providers in the County Kildare area to ascertain what services and speeds are on offer. The Communications Regulator, ComReg, has details on its website, www.callcosts.ie as to services providers in each county.
