Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2018
529. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a person (details supplied) will be included on the fibre broadband line being installed in an area; if not, the date for the roll-out of high speed broadband for the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47732/18]
View answerThe premises referred to by the Deputy is in the AMBER area on the High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. 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 Deputy makes reference to the premises' proximity to a commercial deployment of high speed broadband. This deployment is part of eir's commercial rural roll out of high speed broadband to 300,000 predominantly rural premises, in line with a Commitment Agreement signed with my Department in April 2017.
With regard to the matter of ongoing infrastructure deployment in close proximity to the premises, decisions made by private telecommunication operators relating to the roll out and siting of infrastructure to provide high speed broadband services throughout Ireland are undertaken on a commercial basis by competing service providers operating in a liberalised market. I have no statutory role or function to intervene in the commercial decisions of private operators, and therefore cannot direct operators regarding infrastructure installation or delivery of services.
I recognise the importance of availability of high speed connectivity for all premises in Ireland and fully appreciate the frustration for communities and businesses that do not currently have access to this level of connectivity. Delivering connectivity to the 540,000 premises that fall within the State led intervention under the NBP remains a Government priority.
For those premises currently 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.
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.
