Thomas Byrne
Question:541. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when broadband will be supplied to an area (details supplied). [50077/18]
View answerTuesday, 4 December 2018
Questions (541)
Written answers
As stated in reply Question No. 471 of 13 November 2018, the referenced area is in the BLUE area on the High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The BLUE areas are where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services. Notwithstanding this, I am aware that the area referenced contains newly built homes where broadband infrastructure from commercial operators may not yet be in place.
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.
Where a citizen living in a Blue area is unable to obtain a high speed broadband service, I would encourage them to email my Department at broadband@dccae.gov.ie with their Eircode, details of the service providers they have contacted and the issues encountered in respect of accessing high speed broadband.
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.