Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2015
587. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if areas (details supplied) in County Clare will be included in the national broadband scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2678/15]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan 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. The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades. Approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland are expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next two years. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.
On the 24 November last, a public consultation on a national high speed coverage map 2016 was launched. The map can be accessed at www.broadband.gov.ie. The areas on the map marked Blue will all have access to high speed broadband services of at least 30 Mbps from the commercial sector by end of 2016. The areas marked Amber will require the intervention of the State.
The areas of Quin and Newmarket on Fergus, County Clare falls within a Blue area of the map and will therefore have access to high speed broadband services from the commercial sector by the end of 2016. Mooghaun North County Clare is in an Amber area and therefore will be provided with high speed broadband services as part of the State led intervention.
The map allows all members of the public, be they business or residential, to see whether their premises/home will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016 or whether they will be included in the Government's proposed intervention. It also provides detailed information on over 50,000 townlands in every county in Ireland, including County Clare. It is anticipated that speeds of at least 30Mbps will be also delivered through the Government's intervention and the network will be designed to cater for future increased demand from consumers and business.
The next steps in this process will see a further public consultation on a detailed intervention strategy in mid-2015. This is a requirement under EU state aid rules.
Following the public consultation, towards the end of this year a detailed procurement process will be undertaken in order to select preferred bidder or bidders. The Department will design a tender in a way that maximises efficiencies and keeps the cost to taxpayers as low as possible. It is expected that the physical build of this network will commence from 2016.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland.
