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National Broadband Plan Implementation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2018

Tuesday, 6 November 2018

Questions (814, 815)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

814. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his priorities for the full roll-out of broadband under the national broadband plan; the stake in a company (details supplied) held by national agencies and the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44714/18]

View answer

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

815. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the tendering process for the roll-out of high-speed broadband to more than 540,000 rural homes and businesses; if State agencies will be tasked with delivering this vital national infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44715/18]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 814 and 815 together.

The 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.  In 2012, less than 700,000, or 30% of all 2.3 million Irish premises had access to high speed broadband.  When this Government came into office this had risen to 52%.  Today, 74% of premises can access high speed broadband. This is being achieved via a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention.

The State led intervention will bring high speed broadband to some 540,000 premises around Ireland.

The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage, with evaluation ongoing of the final tender submission received on 18 September. The Taoiseach has asked Mr Peter Smyth, the independent process auditor to the NBP procurement to review the process. Mr. Smyth will submit a report to the Taoiseach and to me as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment. This review is taking place in parallel with the evaluation being carried out by the Department’s procurement team on the final tender.

The State does not own a shareholding in enet.  I understand that the Irish Infrastructure Fund controls enet through a special purpose investment vehicle ‘Speed Fibre DAC’.  The Irish Infrastructure Fund was established by Irish Life Investment Managers (ILIM) as an investment fund to provide long term investors with a financial return  by investing in infrastructure assets which underpin the Irish economy.  The Irish Infrastructure Fund has a number of investors one of which is the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (“ISIF”) (previously the National Pensions Reserve Fund).

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