Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 January 2015
30. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when approval will be received from the EU for its national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3770/15]
View answerAny State investment into a competitive market such as telecommunications must comply with EU State Aid rules, mainly aimed at ensuring that such investment only takes place in cases where it is clear that commercial investment will not take place. Public funds should, therefore, be complementary to commercial investment and not a substitute for it.
The current State Aid Guidelines governing investments in broadband markets contain detailed compliance obligations on all public bodies considering a market intervention. In designing the detailed intervention strategy for the National broadband Plan and subsequent procurement strategy and Request For Tender, my Department is cognisant of the need to fully comply will all of these requirements.
Based on current planning, my Department expects to submit a formal Notification to the European Commission later this year. It is intended to launch the formal procurement process for the proposed intervention towards the end of the year, and to ensure that State Aid clearance is obtained so that connection of the first homes and businesses will commence in 2016.
