Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 April 2018
477. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is satisfied that the interests of consumers of broadband in the State have been protected in the procurement process for the roll-out of the national broadband plan under the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014. [11307/18]
View answerThe Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. Today, almost 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. Since this Government came into office almost 400,000 additional premises have access to high speed broadband. This will increase to nearly 8 out of 10 premises by the end of this year and by 2020, 9 out of 10 premises will have access to a high speed broadband connection. This is being achieved via a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention.
I assume the Deputy’s question refers to matters of competition and equal access for consumers on the high speed broadband network that is to be built in the State intervention area. The network that will be built by the successful bidder in the State intervention area will be a fully open access network providing wholesale telecommunications services. The contract will mandate that all retail service providers have open access to the infrastructure required to deliver services to premises in the intervention area, which should result in consumers having access to a range of providers. The terms and conditions of this access will be monitored through the contract.
