eir reports data to my Department in relation its ongoing rural fibre deployment in accordance with the Commitment Agreement signed with my Department in April 2017. This deployment was originally anticipated to be completed by the end of 2018. eir has indicated that its deployment schedule has been impacted by storms Emma and Ophelia, and other construction issues. The company has proposed new timelines for its deployment which would see the project completed by mid-2019. Officials from my Department are engaged on an on-going basis with eir on this proposal. According to Quarter 3 2018 figures provided by eir to my Department, the company has passed almost 210,000 premises as part of its ongoing deployment.
My Department receives take up figures on a monthly basis from eir, and I understand that take up is in line with the trajectory anticipated by eir when it commenced this commercial investment, and that the rate of take up along eir's 300k deployment has increased throughout 2018. This increase in take up is expected to continue as eir proceeds to pass and connect further premises every month, as awareness of the availability of high speed broadband improves and as more retail service providers offer a choice and variety of communications packages over the network. My Department does not receive a breakdown of figures between domestic and business customers.
eir’s rural investment in high speed broadband is an entirely commercial undertaking, and while it is reflective of the overall national deployment figures for the delivery of high speed broadband throughout the country, it is not part of the planned State Intervention network. Deployment is monitored under the terms of a Commitment Agreement signed between the company and my Department, however it is not funded by the State and it is not planned, designed or directed by my Department in any capacity.
