Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
2254. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has had communication with Eir to discuss the possibility of short extensions to its roll-out of fibre broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33239/19]
View answerUnder 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 Q1 2019 the company has passed almost 250,000 premises nationwide as part of its ongoing deployment. Further information provided by eir to my Department, advises that it plans to complete the vast majority of the deployment by the mid-year completion target with the remaining premises to be completed shortly afterward. These premises are in the LIGHT BLUE area of my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map, available at www.broadband.gov.ie.
Information on Eir's rural deployment is available on that company’s website, http://fibrerollout.ie/Eircode-lookup/. A copy of the Commitment Agreement is available on my Department’s website at
www.dccae.gov.ie.
Eir’s rural investment in high speed broadband is an entirely commercial decision for that company. It is not part of the planned State Intervention network, and is not funded by the State or planned, designed or directed by my Department in any capacity.
Decisions made by private telecommunications operators relating to the roll out and siting of infrastructure to provide high speed broadband services throughout Ireland are undertaken on a commercial basis. I have no statutory role or function in such commercial decisions of private operators, and therefore cannot direct operators regarding infrastructure installation or delivery of services.
