Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 31 May 2018
12. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which the provision of broadband in all areas is progressing in line with expectations; if he anticipates the provision of services to the blank spaces between services within a reasonable time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23943/18]
View answerThe Government's National Broadband Plan aims to ensure high speed broadband access of a minimum of 30 Megabits per second to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location through a State led intervention and commercial investment. 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 is searchable by address or eircode. I also 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. As of end March this year eir has passed 145,00 premises and has committed to completing this rollout. Information on eir's planned rural deployment is available at the fibrerollout.ie website.
The procurement process to select a company who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network in the State led intervention area is now in its final stages. My Department will engage with the successful company on the most efficient rollout of the network.
In the interim, high speed broadband services continues to be rolled out through significant commercial investment by commercial operators to a value of €2.75 billion in the last 5 years. By 2020, 9 out of 10 premises the length and breadth of Ireland will have access to high speed broadband.
For those premises awaiting access to high speed broadband, 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.
