Written Answers Nos. 178-185
178. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if and when an adequate broadband service will be available to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has no connectivity in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4083/15]
View answerThe 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.
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 24 November last, a public consultation on a national high speed coverage map 2016 was launched. This consultation will close on the 12th February next. The map can be accessed at www.broadband.gov.ie. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas that will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016. This includes Woodlawn, Allenwood, County Kildare. The AMBER areas show the locations where the State will be obliged to intervene to ensure the availability of next generation broadband services.
The map allows all members of the public, be they business or residential, to see whether their premises or 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 throughout the entire country including County Kildare.
It is anticipated that speeds of at least 30 Mbps 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.
In tandem with the mapping consultation, intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy. The strategy will address a range of issues in relation to the intervention including the optimum procurement model, ownership model for the infrastructure, intervention cost and likely market impact.
Following the public consultation, towards the end of this year a detailed procurement process will be undertaken in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders. The Department will design a tender in a way that maximises efficiencies and keeps the cost of the network build as low as possible. I anticipate that the first homes and businesses will be connected in 2016 and connections will continue thereafter, with the intention of having all premises connected within a 5 year period.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland.
179. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which broadband quality and service will improve on an annual basis over the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4170/15]
View answerIreland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. Therefore decisions on when and where to locate investment are always taken on commercial grounds, having regard to the likely return on investment. I have no role in relation to day to day operations of commercial telecommunication companies.
The 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 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. This consultation will close on the 12th February next. 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 map allows all members of the public to see whether their premises or 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 throughout the entire country.
It is anticipated that speeds of at least 30 Mbps 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.
Intensive design and planning work is under way in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy, which will be the subject of further public consultation in mid-2015.
Following the public consultation, towards the end of this year a detailed procurement process will be undertaken in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders. I am keen to see the implementation begin as quickly as possible and completed at the earliest opportunity. I anticipate that the first homes and businesses will be connected in 2016 and connections will continue thereafter, with the intention of having the final homes and businesses connected within a 5 year period.
180. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which oil, gas and other exploration licences have been activated on a monthly basis over the past five years; the degree to which viable or commercial results have been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4172/15]
View answer185. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if arising from any recent exploration, indications of a sizeable oil, gas or other mineral discovery has been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4177/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 185 together.
A table outlines the exploration licences issued by my Department over the past five years. Details of all authorisations granted by my Department are published on my Department's website on a quarterly basis and can also be found in the six monthly reports to the Oireachtas, which I am obliged to lay before the Houses under the Minerals Development Acts, 1940 to 1999 and the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960, respectively. The last such reports were in respect of the six-month period ending 30 June 2014. These reports are also available on my Department’s website at www.dcenr.gov.ie.
|
Year |
Petroleum Exploration Licences Issued |
Prospecting Licences (Minerals) Issued |
|
2010 |
0 |
93 |
|
2011 |
2 |
98 |
|
2012 |
0 |
102 |
|
2013 |
5 |
142 |
|
2014 |
6 |
71 |
|
Total |
13 |
506 |
There have been no commercial discoveries of oil or gas within the territory of the State in the last five years. Ireland, however, has witnessed a positive upswing in the level of petroleum exploration activity in recent years, in particular acquisition of new seismic data. We need to see this translate into an increased level of exploration drilling in the coming years, if Ireland’s true petroleum potential is to be realised.
In a similar manner, while the number of active minerals prospecting licences indicate the buoyant state of mineral exploration in Ireland, no new commercially viable deposits of minerals have been discovered in the last five years although there have been some encouraging results, particularly in Counties Limerick and Clare. However, it is too early to determine whether these results will lead to identification of commercially viable deposits or to estimate the economic benefits that might accrue.
181. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he continues to endeavour to identify suitable extra services compatible with those already available through An Post with the objective of increasing the role of An Post throughout the country and in the economy in general; if he has in mind particular services which may be suitable in this context with a view to ensuring the viability of An Post throughout the country in view of the tendency internationally to reduce such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4173/15]
View answer182. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that adequate additional services will be added to the portfolio of An Post with a view to utilisation of the national network of post offices, sub post offices and counter services to maximum capacity on a nationwide basis, notwithstanding the challenge of electronic communications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4174/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 182 together.
It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company, in a position to provide a high-quality postal service and maintain a nationwide customer-focused network of post offices in the community. The post office network faces significant challenges given the impact of the economic downturn over the last few years, changes in technology and customer retail preferences. The network stands well positioned, however, to become the front-office provider of choice for Government and the financial services sector for both electronic transactions as well as the more traditional over-the-counter transactions.
On 21 December 2014, I announced the appointment of Mr. Bobby Kerr as the independent Chair of a Post Office Network Business Development Group. Mr. Kerr will bring a depth of knowledge and experience in identifying and developing business opportunities for the post office network. The Group, which has commenced its work this week, will engage with the private sector and Government organisations and agencies in exploring potential opportunities for new commercial and Government business for the network. It is anticipated that the group will produce a report this Summer.
183. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the degree to which he and his Department continue to evaluate the various forms of communication, including An Post, mobile telephone services and broadband, with a view to identifying the maximum benefit achievable in each case through the provision of modern and competitive services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4175/15]
View answerThe provision of electronic communications and postal services occur within fully liberalised markets, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) which is independent in the exercise of its functions. ComReg has imposed universal services obligations on eircom and An Post to ensure universal public access to basic electronic communications and postal services at averaged retail prices across the State.
The provision of additional or higher value services within these competitive markets is a matter for the competing service providers in the first instance. Electronic communication service providers are currently investing approximately €2.5bn in upgrading and modernising networks which support the provision of fixed line high speed broadband services, and the roll-out of 3G and 4G mobile services. These investments will further improve the coverage and quality of electronic communications throughout the country.
As Minister for Communications, one of my key objectives is to ensure that Ireland is best placed to avail of the emerging opportunities provided by the commercial electronic communications sector through the promotion of investment in state of the art infrastructure and the provision of a supportive legislative and regulatory environment. While investment in communications infrastructure and services is primarily a matter for the private sector, Government recognises that it has a role in evaluating how the market is performing and in ensuring that barriers to investment are removed where possible. The National Broadband Plan commits to a range of actions that will facilitate the more efficient investment in the roll-out of communications infrastructure and ensuring that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service through a combination of commercial investment and a state-led intervention.
In the postal market, following a review under the auspices of the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy, a Post Office Network Business Development Group has been established to explore the potential opportunities for new Government and commercial business for the post office network, it is anticipated that the group will produce a report this Summer.
184. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when supply from the Corrib gas field is to become available to the national grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4176/15]
View answerCompletion of the Corrib gas field development works, by the developer, is the principal factor that will determine the date for first gas. Construction and testing of the infrastructure will be completed shortly, with first gas anticipated in mid 2015.
