Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 October 2013
144. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to upgrade the broadband capability of an area (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43924/13]
View answer146. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the provision on broadband in an area (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43986/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 146 together.
Ireland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The market has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details of broadband services available in each County, including County Kildare, can be found on ComReg’s website at www.callcosts.ie.
The State can only intervene to ensure access to broadband services in areas where the competitive market fails to deliver such services, as in the case of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS). The Scheme offers a basic broadband service, in line with EU State aid clearance, to fixed residences and fixed businesses in the designated NBS Electoral Divisions. The areas of Mullaghmast, Ballitore, Narraghmore, Calverstown and Kilmeade, referred to in the Deputy's questions, are serviced under the NBS.
The combination of private investment and State interventions means that Ireland has met the EU Commission’s Digital Agenda for Europe target of having a basic broadband service available to all areas by 2013.
The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August 2012, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses, including those in County Kildare. This will be achieved by providing:
- a policy and regulatory framework that assists in accelerating and incentivising commercial investment, and
- a State-led investment for areas where it is not commercial for the market to invest.
Since the publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector are underway in both fixed line and wireless high speed broadband services. In order to progress the State-led investment for areas where it is not commercial for the market to invest, a full procurement process must be designed and EU State Aids approval must be obtained.
My Department is engaged in a comprehensive mapping exercise of the current and anticipated investment by the commercial sector to identify where the market is expected to deliver high speed broadband services over the coming years. The results of this mapping exercise will inform the precise areas that need to be targeted in the State-led investment as envisaged in the National Broadband Plan.
Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations, including stakeholder engagement, are ongoing. The procurement process for the approved intervention will be carried out in accordance with EU and Irish procurement rules and it is expected that it will be launched in 2014.
Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, I am committed to ensuring that all parts of Ireland have access to high speed broadband, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and businesses can participate fully in, and maximise the benefits of, a digitally enabled economy and society.
