Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 December 2015
35. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the status of the timeline to connect all premises under the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44873/15]
View answerBefore getting to this question, I am astonished that a priority question I submitted relating to mobile telephone coverage throughout the country was disallowed yesterday. The same question was tabled and allowed in September and I wanted an update on what has happened since. It was not allowed in December, so I am at a loss as to how that happened in the Ceann Comhairle's office. I would appreciate an explanation.
I will investigate the Deputy's point.
My question asks the Minister to comment on the timeline to connect all premises nationally under the national broadband plan via commercial operators and if he will make a statement on the matter.
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 and enhanced services. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.
In November 2014, I published a national high-speed coverage map for 2016. The areas marked in blue on the map represent those areas that will have access to commercial high-speed broadband services. Those marked in amber show the target areas for the State intervention. All premises within the amber areas will be included in the State's intervention. 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 the end of 2016 or whether they will be included in the Government's proposed intervention. The high-speed map contains a breakdown of premises covered per townland. 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. Consumers may also consult the websites of the various commercial operators to ascertain details of current and planned future deployment intentions.
Over 40 responses were received following the publication of the national broadband plan proposed intervention strategy last July. Non-confidential versions of these submissions are being published and can be accessed on the website. In the meantime my Department continues to review the technical and financial detail relating to potential new commercial investment proposals. I expect to proceed to formal procurement before the end of this month. The Government is determined to ensure that the network is built out as quickly as possible and engagement with industry stakeholders has indicated that this could be achieved within three to five years of the contract award. In this context, the national broadband plan proposes that through the combination of commercial investment and State intervention, 85% of addresses in Ireland will have access to high-speed services by 2018, with an ambition of 100% coverage by end of 2020.
There are a number of issues relating to this. The Minister expects to proceed to formal procurement by the end of the year, which is in two weeks, so is he fully confident that this will happen or is he 90% confident of it happening? The concern that people have relating to broadband around the country is that it is being promised but it looks like it will be 2021 before high-speed broadband will be available in a number of counties, including Cavan, Clare, Donegal, Mayo, Monaghan, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim, Kilkenny, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and parts of Cork.
Representatives of Eir, which used to be Eircom, have recently indicated that the commitment it had for 300,000 homes and businesses to be connected can no longer be fulfilled. Has the Minister taken this into account? He has stated across the floor and in committee rooms that his Department is working as hard as possible on this. There is much concern in the places that do not have broadband as there does not seem to be an absolute commitment to get this over the line once and for all.
There is an absolute commitment to doing this and it is not just a commitment; we are delivering on the plan I outlined to the Dáil as a new Minister in July 2014. As I reminded the Deputy before and will do so again, I stated there would be three key events between July 2014 and December 2015. The first was the publication of the map, splitting the country into areas that the commercial sectors would look after and the rest of the country, in which the State would have to intervene. I said I would do that in November last year and it was done at that stage. I stated at that stage that we would bring forward the full and detailed strategy, including technical, financial and legal aspects, that needed to be dealt with and it would be published in July 2015. I did that. I then stated that the third of that trio of actions that needed to be taken in order to move forward in the process and meet the concerns of the people whom the Deputy speaks about would come by the end of this year. To answer his question, "Yes", it will be done before the end of 2015.
Eir made a statement over the weekend regarding 300,000 homes. How will that impact on what is now a broadband wasteland? I wrote to the Minister late last week about an issue with exchanges in Kanturk in Cork. Although I do not expect him to comment on that on the floor, it reflects what is happening around the country, with a proper broadband service not being distributed to the villages and towns. Will the Minister specifically comment on Eir's statement about the 300,000 homes?
The operators, including Eir, have put forward plans and proposals for the period 2016 to 2020. My Department and I have assessed those proposals and particularly their credibility from a financial, deployment, legal and technical perspective. When I make my announcement in the coming days, I will indicate whether we intend to change the map published in respect of the configuration between commercial and State intervention. That will follow a careful and detailed assessment of all the plans, including that of Eir, that has been done in recent months. In all likelihood, I will make those announcements next week, before Christmas.
