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Broadband Service Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 February 2019

Thursday, 21 February 2019

Questions (161, 162, 164)

Frank O'Rourke

Question:

161. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of high-speed broadband in an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8850/19]

View answer

Frank O'Rourke

Question:

162. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of high-speed broadband in an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8851/19]

View answer

Frank O'Rourke

Question:

164. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of high-speed broadband for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8853/19]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 161, 162 and 164 together.

In April 2017 my Department published an updated version of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map. This is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The 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 NBP. The Map is colour coded and searchable by address/Eircode:

- The AMBER area represents the parts of the country where commercial operators have no plans to build high speed broadband networks. Premises in the AMBER area will be provided with high Speed Broadband through a State Intervention.

- The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.

- The LIGHT BLUE area represents 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 following table details the percentage of premises to be covered by the State Intervention and through commercial investment in the areas identified by the Deputy.

Townland

Premises within the NBP Intervention Area (AMBER)

Premises within Commercial Operator’s Area (BLUE)

Premises within eir planned rural deployment (LIGHT BLUE)

Abbeyland (Alexandra Bridge)

0

100% (332)

0

Loughlinstown (Loughlinstown Road)

34 (62%)

21 (38%)

0

Rathmore

21 (43%)

28 (57%)

0

The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage.  I will bring a recommendation to Government in relation to the NBP in the coming weeks.

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. 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.

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