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Broadband Services Speeds

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 October 2013

Thursday, 24 October 2013

Questions (32)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

32. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the percentage of households in County Donegal that currently have access to broadband speeds of 30 Mbs; the percentage of households in County Donegal that currently have access to broadband speeds of 40 Mbs; if all households in County Donegal will have access to broadband speeds of at least 30 Mbs by 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45027/13]

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Written answers

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 Donegal, 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. 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 Donegal. 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, including in parts of Donegal. 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. This will culminate in the development of coverage maps which will aggregate the information provided by operators. These maps will indicate the current and future availability of high speed broadband throughout the country, as well as where there are gaps. The situation pertaining to County Donegal will be captured within the maps, which will be made available on my Department's website.

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.

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