Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 April 2019
87. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps being taken between his Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to speed up the roll-out of fibre broadband in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15479/19]
View answer94. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the role of the regional telecommunications development unit in his Department with regard to the national broadband plan. [15470/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 94 together.
The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment has overall policy responsibility for the National Broadband Plan. However, my Department, through the Unit responsible for regional telecommunications development, works closely with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and with Local Authorities to help prepare rural communities for the roll out of high-speed broadband.
The Unit also supports the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce, in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The Taskforce was established in 2016 to identify and overcome obstacles to mobile phone and broadband services.
The unit also supports the nationwide network of Local Authority Broadband Officers, who act as a single point of contact in each Local Authority for the public, telecoms operators and infrastructure providers regarding telecommunications issues.
To date, a number of significant actions have been delivered by members of the Taskforce, or on foot of engagement between Taskforce members and the telecommunications sector. These include:
- The establishment of almost 1,000 kilometres of cable ducting along our national roads and motorways, ensuring that the fibre-optic spine needed to push broadband services out to all of our citizens is possible.
- The development of Digital Strategies by each Local Authority, to ensure that high speed broadband can be maximised for economic and social benefit when installed.
- The identification of strategic Broadband Connection Points in each Local Authority area which can serve as priority connection points for the community when the National Broadband Plan is rolled out.
Quarterly progress reports on the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce are available on my Department’s website at https://drcd.gov.ie/about/rural/rural-development/mobile-phone-and-broadband-taskforce/.
