Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2015
106. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources for an update on his Department's engagement with the European Union competition directorate concerning State investment in the broadband network, with specific reference to the national broadband plan. [38946/15]
View answerThe public consultation on the Government’s National Broadband Plan draft Intervention Strategy closed on 25 September last. A total of 38 submissions were received, representing views from a wide range of stakeholders including companies, agencies and individuals. Non confidential versions of these submissions have been published on my Department's website. Meanwhile, my Department continues to review the technical and financial detail relating to potential new commercial investment proposals with a view to updating the intervention area map. A further consultation on the High Speed broadband map was launched on 21 October 2015 and is scheduled to conclude on 11 November 2015. An updated version of the map will then be published.
My officials have established a very constructive working relationship with DG Competition in the European Commission and both sides regularly engage on issues in relation to State Aid aspects of our proposed Plan.
In July last, we submitted our pre-notification document to DG Competition and have agreed to notify the Commission of any material change to this in light of our review of the responses to the public consultation and to the review of commercial investment plans.
