Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2018
112. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress to date in completing the contract in locations (details supplied) with regard to the roll-out of 300,000 fibre connections by Eir; the number of homes that could not be connected in the area due to issues related to ducting and-or infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53174/18]
View answerIn April 2017 my Department 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 National Broadband Plan. 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 rollout high speed broadband to 300,000 premises as part of a Commitment Agreement signed with my Department in April 2017.
The High Speed Broadband Map indicates that one of the premises referred to by the Deputy is in a LIGHT BLUE area. The remainder are BLUE. Information on categories of specific premises can be accessed by entering the premise’s eircode into the map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie.
Under a Commitment Agreement signed with my Department in April 2017, eir is in the process of passing 300,000 predominantly rural homes with high speed broadband. According to data for Q3 2018 submitted by eir to my Department the company has passed almost 210,000 premises nationwide as part of its ongoing deployment. Premises in the LIGHT BLUE areas have yet to be passed as part of this deployment.
Eir’s deployment was initially planned for completion in 2018. However, eir has indicated to the Department that their deployment schedule has been impacted by storms Emma and Ophelia, and other construction issues. Eir has proposed new timelines for its deployment which would see the project completed by mid-2019. My Department is engaging with eir on this proposal, which is subject to my formal approval.
BLUE areas of the map represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services. Where a premises in the LIGHT BLUE is marked with a BLUE dot, this premises is one which is indicated as having been passed by eir as part of their rural deployment of high speed broadband. According to rollout information given to my Department by that company that premises should be in a position to be provided with a broadband connection from a provider offering services on the new network.
Where a premises in this situation is experiencing difficulties ordering connection to eir’s new network via one of the retail service providers that offer services upon it, I would encourage them to email my Department at broadband@dccae.gov.ie. They should include their Eircode, details of the service providers they have contacted and the issues encountered in respect of accessing high speed broadband. Officials in my Department will then be able to pursue the matter with eir.
