Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2020
148. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the status of and position regarding state aid complaints lodged to the European Commission and the impact this might have on the roll out of the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35176/20]
View answerThe European Commission gave its approval for the NBP State Aid Intervention on 15 November 2019, in advance of the Government agreeing to the award of the contract with National Broadband Ireland to deliver a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.My Department is aware of two complaints, received in early 2020, and has provided information to the Commission to assist it in responding to the complainants. This is a process managed by the European Commission and it would be a matter for the Commission, and not the Irish Authorities, to comment on the details or status of any such complaint.The complaints have had no impact on deployment of the National Broadband Plan.
