I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 to 558, inclusive, together.
The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State-led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided.
Yesterday, I launched a public consultation on the National High Speed Coverage Map 2016. This allows all members of the public, be they business or residential, to see whether or not their premises/home is included in the Government’s proposed intervention. It also provides detailed information on a county by county basis as to which villages and townlands are to be included.
This map can be accessed at www.broadband.gov.ie. There is a wealth of data and information available here to better inform citizens about the detail of the Government’s ambitious plan to ensure all parts of Ireland have access to high quality broadband services.
The plan envisages dealing conclusively with rural connectivity issues so that current and future generations will have guaranteed access to high quality, high speed broadband similar to more densely populated areas of Ireland. The network we wish to see built will therefore have to be scalable and capable of meeting future anticipated traffic growth. Whatever the technology used, it must ensure users have a service of at least 30Mbps.
In line with the EU competition rules, we must observe a policy of technology neutrality. However, the scale of the Government’s ambition in regard to the level of service we wish to see available in rural areas, the step change in broadband quality now prescribed by the EU Commission’s State Aid guidelines, the exponential growth in demand from consumers, and in particular business, points to the need for a major infrastructure build that must stand the test of time.
To ensure end users can benefit from the guaranteed broadband services required, it is likely that a significant fibre build will be required as close to homes and businesses as possible. With additional fibre connectivity all broadband technologies can deliver higher speeds to end users. Access to any State funded network will be on a wholesale open access basis to all retail broadband providers on non-discriminatory terms and conditions.
The next steps in this process will see a further public consultation on a detailed intervention strategy in mid-2015. A detailed procurement process will be undertaken in order to select a potential preferred bidder(s) towards the end of 2015.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland.
