Written Answers Nos. 454-472
454. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if under the lobbyist register it is expected that calls from lobbyists are recorded; if this is the practice in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17996/18]
View answerThe Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 designates the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) as the Registrar of Lobbying. The Commission maintains the web-based Register of Lobbying, which monitors compliance, provides guidance and assistance and, where necessary, investigates and pursues breaches of legal requirements.
Anyone engaging in lobbying activities from 1 September 2015 is required to keep a record of these activities and submit them to the on-line Register within 21 days after the end of each four month period. The obligation is with the lobbyist to register and submit appropriate returns.
Under Section 6(4) of the Act, my Department provides an up to date list of designated public officials on the Department’s website. That web page also contains a link to the Register of Lobbying www.lobbying.ie, where the lobbyists’ obligations are explained.
The SIPO Lobbying Register is reviewed by my Department every 4 months and a list of lobbyist contacts with this Department is circulated to the Management Board for information.
455. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when broadband will be brought to The Bower, Balbriggan; the reason for the difficulty in delivering broadband in view of the fact that an adjacent estate has high speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17454/18]
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.
The area referred to by the Deputy comprises approximately 1,878 premises and falls within a BLUE area in the townland of Balbriggan on my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map (available at www.broadband.gov.ie). The BLUE areas on the Map represent the areas targeted for delivery of high speed broadband by commercial operators. Therefore a high speed broadband service for this area will be realised through commercial operators.
Telecommunications companies operate in a liberalised market and while I have no statutory authority to intervene in their day to day operations, my Department is collating information in relation to cases/areas where commercial plans to provide access to high speed broadband to premises do not materialise. I would encourage consumers in the referred area to contact my Department directly at broadband@dccae.gov.ie with details, quoting their address, eircode and fixed line telephone number (if available) and details of operators they have contacted with a view to obtaining a broadband service. My Department will then be in a position to engage further on this issue.
456. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the action he will take to ensure that all licensed household waste collection companies display full and up to date price charging structures on their company websites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17496/18]
View answerAs Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, it is not currently within my remit to oblige private companies to display their prices on websites.
However, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is currently conducting a study on the operation of the household waste collection market which it will complete in 2018 and I await any recommendations that report may contain.
In addition, I separately established a Household Waste Collection Price Monitoring Group (PMG) last year to monitor the rates charged by household waste collectors during the phasing out of flat rate fees. The PMG has met each month since September 2017 and has considered seven months of pricing data trends. The PMG has indicated that, in the vast majority of cases to date, prices have remained stable. The PMG noted in its latest statement (available at www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/news-and-media/press-releases/Pages/Statement-March-Findings-from-the-Household-Waste-Collection-Price-Monitoring-Group--Trend-shows-residential-waste-collecti.aspx) that situations arose during monitoring where office staff may have taken longer than expected to provide price details over the phone and in these scenarios, company websites were used to confirm prices. However, the PMG further noted that not all companies provide prices on their websites and that not all consumers will have internet access, or are comfortable with this mode of comparison.
To conclude, the results from the PMG in conjunction with the study being undertaken by the CCPC, will provide an evidence base for future policy decisions in relation to the household waste market.
457. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a ban on plastic straws will be introduced in favour of biodegradable straws; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17501/18]
View answerOn 16 January 2018 the Commission published its European Strategy for Plastics in the Circular Economy. The strategy focuses on plastics production and use and sets a goal of ensuring all plastic packaging is recyclable by 2030.
Recently, I wrote to the European Commissioner with responsibility for the environment to welcome the plastics strategy. I assured him Ireland fully embraced the ambitions of the new strategy. I asked the Commission to focus, in particular, on the most difficult non-recyclable plastics such as soft wrapping, film and single use items such as coffee cups and plastic straws. I am determined to make sure these products, if they come onto the market here or elsewhere in Europe, will be recycled or biodegradable and that they will not go into landfill sites.
I am looking forward to the Commission proposing within the next month EU-wide actions to tackle single use plastic items. I believe that working proactively with our European colleagues will achieve a greater environmental benefit.
458. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when all areas will receive high quality broadband in view of the decision by the EIB to refinance the NBP. [17514/18]
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.
On 12 April 2018, the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced it had allocated finance of €500 million to the roll-out of a high speed broadband network for the National Broadband Plan. EIB financing is only offered to projects which contribute to EU Economic policy objectives, such as the improvement of EU transport and telecommunications infrastructure and which also meet the EIB’s requirements for overall quality and soundness. I welcome the announcement from the EIB as an endorsement of the NBP State led intervention. The allocation of €500m in EU financing from the EIB provides the project with the potential to access reliable and affordable finance from a recognised European financial institution under the Investment Plan for Europe.
In April 2017 I published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area under the NBP.
My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. That procurement process is now in its final stages. The Department will engage with the bidder to ensure the most efficient deployment as part of the contract.
In April 2017, I signed a Commitment Agreement with eir in relation to its plans to provide high speed broadband to 300,000 premises in rural areas on a commercial basis. eir has committed to completing the roll-out by the end of this year. Information on eir's planned rural deployment is available at http://fibrerollout.ie. A copy of the Commitment Agreement is available on my Department’s website www.dccae.gov.ie.
Quarterly updates on eir's rural deployment are published on this website. eir has passed a total of 121,000 premises as of December 2017. Figures for Q1 2018 are expected to be published in May.
Prior to the roll-out of the NBP State led intervention, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.
Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen. These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. There is a link to a list of these local Broadband Officers on my Department's website.
459. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when fibre broadband will be rolled out at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17519/18]
View answer460. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when fibre broadband will be rolled out at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17520/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 459 and 460 together.
The 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.
The premises referred to by the Deputy are in an AMBER area on my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. They are therefore included in the State Intervention Area under the NBP.
My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. That procurement process is now in its final stages.
In the interim, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.
Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen. These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. There is a link to a list of these local Broadband Officers on my Department's website.
461. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if broadband will be rolled out in Ballymore, County Westmeath, in autumn 2018; and the timeframe that has been previously confirmed in terms of the national broadband plan roll-out. [17567/18]
View answerI refer the Deputy to the below reply to Question No. 1199 of 17 March 2018.
In April 2017, I signed a Commitment Agreement with eir in relation to its plans to provide high speed broadband to 300,000 premises in rural areas on a commercial basis. eir has committed to completing this roll-out by the end of this year. Information on eir's ongoing rural deployment is available at http://fibrerollout.ie/eircode-lookup/. A copy of the Commitment Agreement is available on my Department’s website www.dccae.gov.ie.
Quarterly updates on eir's rural deployment are published on this website. eir has passed a total of 121,000 of the committed premises as of December 2017. This figure includes 2,750 premises in Westmeath passed to date, with a further 4,000 to follow this year.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department's High Speed Broadband Map (www.broadband.gov.ie) shows that 99% (134 premises) of the townland of Ballymore, County Westmeath are to receive access to a high speed broadband connection via eir’s ongoing rural fibre deployment. According to eir's own estimate, the premises in Ballymore within their deployment plan are due to be passed in the second half of 2018.
A further 1% (2 premises) of the townland will receive access to high speed broadband via the State led intervention. My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. That procurement process is now in its final stages.
In the interim, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.
Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen. These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. There is a link to a list of these local Broadband Officers on my Department's website.
462. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when fibre broadband will be rolled out at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17588/18]
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.
In April 2017 I published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area under the NBP.
The Map is colour coded and searchable by address/eircode:
- The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.
- The BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
- The LIGHT BLUE areas represent eir's commercial rural deployment plans to roll-out high speed broadband to 300,000 premises by the end of this year as part of a Commitment Agreement signed with me in April.
There are 18 premises in the townland of Knocknahilan, of which 8 fall within the AMBER area and will be covered under the State led Intervention, while 10 are LIGHT BLUE and fall to be covered by eir's planned rural deployment. Individuals can check which category their premises falls into by going to my Department’s website www.broadband.gov.ie and searching the Map via eircode/address.
In April 2017, I signed a Commitment Agreement with eir in relation to its plans to provide High speed broadband to 300,000 premises in rural areas on a commercial basis. eir has committed to completing the roll-out by the end of this year. Information on eir's planned rural deployment is available at http://fibrerollout.ie/eircode-lookup/. A copy of the Commitment Agreement is available on my Department’s website www.dccae.gov.ie. Quarterly updates on eir's rural deployment are published on this website. eir has passed a total of 121,000 premises as of December 2017. Figures for Q1 2018 are expected to be published in May.
My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. That procurement process is now in its final stages.
In the interim, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.
Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen. These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. There is a link to a list of these local Broadband Officers on my Department's website.
463. Deputy Michael Harty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of the 300,000 homes and businesses scheduled to be connected to high speed broadband by Eir which are in County Clare; the progress with regard to connection in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17626/18]
View answerIn April 2017, I signed a Commitment Agreement with eir in relation to its plans to provide high speed broadband to 300,000 premises in rural areas on a commercial basis. eir has committed to completing this roll-out by year end. A copy of the Commitment Agreement is available on my Department’s website www.dccae.gov.ie.
Quarterly updates on eir's rural deployment are published on my Department’s website www.broadband.gov.ie. As at the end of December 2017, 3,481 premises in County Clare were passed by eir. A further 10,702 premises in Co. Clare are due to be passed by eir as part of its planned rural deployment. By the end of eir's roll-out I anticipate that approximately 66% of all premises in Clare will have access to a high speed broadband service. Information on eir's planned rural deployment is available at http://fibrerollout.ie/eircode-lookup/.
464. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a matter in respect of a person (details supplied) regarding broadband connectivity will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17631/18]
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.
The premise referred to by the Deputy is in an AMBER area on my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. It is therefore included in the State Intervention Area under the NBP.
My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. That procurement process is now in its final stages.
In the interim, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.
Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen. These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. There is a link to a list of these local Broadband Officers on my Department's website.
465. Deputy Michael Harty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the public service contribution of local media in County Clare and elsewhere in the ongoing review of the existing broadcasting licence fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17633/18]
View answerI recognise the important role that broadcasters, including independent and community radio stations, play in our society and the service they provide. A healthy and diverse media sector is critical to any democracy.
I also recognise the financial difficulty that all broadcasters are facing. As the Deputy will be aware, I obtained Government approval to proceed with the drafting of a number of legislative amendments to the Broadcasting Act, 2009 including amendment of the provisions of the Act relating to the broadcasting levy to alleviate the burden on broadcasters, and exempting community broadcasters from the levy altogether. The proposals provide that a portion of the licence fee receipts will be paid to BAI to help defray their administrative costs. This will reduce the overall levy to be paid by the sector and would be applied evenly across all broadcasters. The amount of the reduction would be contingent on the overall level of licence fee receipts.
The proposals also provide for the introduction of a new funding scheme to offer bursaries to journalists working in local or community radio stations. In addition, I announced my intention to seek Government approval to remove hourly limits on advertising for commercial radio stations. These measures will contribute to alleviating the financial challenges faced by broadcasters.
466. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a person who is in receipt of a disability allowance and the fuel allowance is eligible for the SEAI warmer homes scheme. [17674/18]
View answer467. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to extend the eligibility criteria of the SEAI warmer homes scheme. [17675/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 466 and 467 together.
The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme is funded by my Department and operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty, who meet the defined eligibility criteria.
I recently announced that the measures available under the scheme are being expanded to include dry lining and external wall insulation. This will increase the number of households that can avail of the scheme. Replacement windows may be offered in limited circumstances, most likely where external wall insulation is being carried out and the existing windows are very poor performing and need to be replaced to ensure the insulation performs effectively. The changes will be introduced over the next two months and updates will be provided on SEAI’' website shortly.
Eligibility for the Warmer Homes scheme is means tested, successful applicants must continue to meet the following criteria:
- You must own and live in your own home
- It must have been built and occupied before 2006
- You must receive one of the following:
- Fuel Allowance as part of the National Fuel Scheme
- Job Seekers Allowance for over six months and have a child under seven years of age
- Family Income Supplement
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
My Department works with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) on an on-going basis to ensure that the energy efficiency support programmes administered by SEAI are consistent with, and complementary to, the income support schemes offered by DEASP. The eligibility criteria are kept under review, and there are no plans to expand the eligibility criteria at present.
SEAI will continue to operate a ‘one home one visit’ rule for 2018. This has been the approach in order to ensure that as many eligible homes as possible receive an upgrade. However, revisits will become possible in 2019. This will mean that people who only had their attic insulated previously could become eligible for wall insulation.
468. Deputy Michael Harty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the decision of An Bord Pleanála to grant permission to a company (details supplied) to burn alternative fuels, including rubber tyres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17749/18]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that matters pertaining to planning legislation and policy, including the role of An Bord Pleanála, do not fall under my remit as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment. Queries should be directed to the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government or to An Bord Pleanála as appropriate.
469. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the concerns outlined in correspondence (details supplied) will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17822/18]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, three comprehensive letters of information and clarification have been sent to the Cavan Mining Objection Group to date and all of the issues now raised have been addressed previously. In addition, a presentation was given to Cavan County Council by the Chief Geologist of the Exploration and Mining Division of my Department on 9 April at which members of the Cavan Mining Objection Group were present.
In brief, in response to the points raised in the correspondence attached to the Deputy's question, I can confirm:
- To date, where minerals have been found and companies have purchased land, this has been agreed with the landowner. There have been no instances to date where a landowner has been forced to sell their land. In addition, to date, there have been no compulsory acquisitions of land for mining development.
- The text of my Department’s letter to the Cavan Mining Objection Group, dated 28 September 2017, identified the environmental safeguards that have been put in place to guard against the possibility of any potential significant environmental impacts arising. It is important to note that in the case of mining, the environmental assessments are carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- It is noted that Ireland ranks highly in the Policy Perception Index (PPI) because of its robust and transparent regulatory system. The transparency of the expectations with regard to adherence to licence conditions and protection of the environment provide clarity to any exploration company considering investment in this jurisdiction.
- The Directors of BMEx Ltd. carried out two site visits in the locality. Other than that, the data analysis and compilation has been desk-based.
- It should be noted that no application for mining has been made. I reiterate that prospecting and exploration activities are non-intrusive and temporary in nature and environmental impact is minimal.
The up-to-date position regarding these Prospecting Licences is that BMEx Ltd. have carried out data compilation and geological mapping in the Prospecting Licence Areas, and as a result of this work they have downgraded the prospectivity of the project and have decided to prioritise exploration elsewhere. The licences have been recently surrendered by the company.
I trust this and all of the previous correspondence clarifies matters for the Deputy.
470. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the form, date and amount of all invoices issued to his Department by a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2007 to 2017, in tabular form. [17901/18]
View answerMy Department did not receive an invoice from the company referred to in the Question in any of the years 2007 to 2017.
471. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the contents of a report were communicated to a company (details supplied) or its representatives before the report was officially published; and the communications he has had with the company and its representatives since becoming Minister. [17951/18]
View answerIn early September 2016 INM announced that it had agreed a deal to purchase the portfolio of regional newspapers owned by the Celtic Media Group, or CMNL.
This proposed acquisition was subject to a competition review by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, which cleared the case on 10 November 2016. Subsequently, formal notification of the proposed acquisition was received by my Department on 21 November 2016.
After a period of examination by my Department, I received the Phase 1 examination report and recommendation by my officials regarding the proposed acquisition on 4 January 2017. I then accepted the advice of my officials to refer the proposed acquisition to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland for a full, or Phase 2, media merger examination and made my formal determination in that respect on 10 January 2017. I also appointed an advisory panel to assist the Authority in its deliberations.
However, the media merger notification was withdrawn by the parties on 6 June 2017 and as a result of this I was not required to make a determination in this case.
The Phase 1 examination report was published, alongside the subsequent reports of the Broadcasting Authority and Advisory Panel, in July 2017. In advance of publication and in the interests of fair procedures, both parties to the proposed acquisition were afforded the opportunity to examine the contents of the reports and to highlight commercially sensitive information, which was then omitted from the versions of the reports published on my Department's website.
Regarding the communications I have had with INM or its representatives since becoming Minister, as I have set out in my Statement to the Dáil on the 18 April 2018, I received a phone call on 10 or 11 of November, 2016 from Eoghan Ó Neachtain, Director of Public Affairs at Heneghan PR, who was representing INM at that time. During this brief conversation Mr Ó Neachtain informed me that the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission had cleared the acquisition by INM of the Celtic Media Group, which I was not aware of. I understand the CCPC published its decision on its website on November 10 2016.
I expressed an opinion that the likely course of action would be a referral to a Phase 2 examination, in accordance with the media merger guidelines and in light of the scale of the proposed acquisition, its geographical impact and the extent of ownership of regional media by INM. I had not received any file on the proposed acquisition at that point. I also clearly stated that this was not a definitive view and that I would be guided by the advice of my officials, as I had been in all previous media merger cases.
As also set out in my statement to the Dáil, I briefly spoke with Mr. Leslie Buckley at a data summit in the RDS on 3 May 2017. I have also been interviewed on several occasions, either at doorsteps or at prearranged interviews, by representatives of INM and indeed the Celtic Media Group, where the question of the proposed acquisition by INM of Celtic Media Group was raised with me.
472. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress made in the past year in County Donegal in the provision of rural broadband services; the timeframe for delivery of rural broadband services to all areas of the county; if no household will be waiting beyond 2020 for broadband connections in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17957/18]
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.
In April 2017 I published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area under the NBP.
The Map is colour coded and searchable by address/eircode:
- The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.
- The BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
- The LIGHT BLUE areas represent eir's commercial rural deployment plans to roll-out high speed broadband to 300,000 premises by the end of this year as part of a Commitment Agreement signed with me in April 2017.
In April 2017, I signed a Commitment Agreement with eir in relation to its plans to provide High speed broadband to 300,000 premises in rural areas on a commercial basis. eir has committed to completing the roll-out by the end of this year. Information on eir's planned rural deployment is available at http://fibrerollout.ie/eircode-lookup/. A copy of the Commitment Agreement is available on my Department’s website www.dccae.gov.ie.
There are just over 101,000 premises in Donegal. Nearly 34,000 (33%) fall within the AMBER area and will be covered under the State led Intervention. Some 56,500 (56%) of premises are in a BLUE area and fall to be covered by commercial providers, while 11,000 (11%) are LIGHT BLUE and fall to be covered by eir's planned rural deployment. Individuals can check which category their premises falls into by going to my Department’s website www.broadband.gov.ie and entering their eircode into the Map.
Quarterly updates on eir's rural deployment are published on this website. Since beginning their roll-out in Q4 2016, eir has passed a total of 121,000 premises, including some 15,000 in County Donegal. A further 11,000 premises remain to be passed in Donegal by the end of this year. By the end of eir's deployment approximately 67% of Donegal's premises will have access to a high speed broadband service.
My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. That procurement process is now in its final stages. My Department will engage with the successful bidder on the most efficient roll-out of the network.
In the interim, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.
Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen. These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. There is a link to a list of these local Broadband Officers on my Department's website.
