Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 March 2021
187. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps he will undertake to ensure the provision of high-speed broadband connection to a household (details supplied) in County Dublin; when a high-speed connection will be available to the residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13192/21]
View answerThe High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie, shows the areas which will be included in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) State-led intervention as well as areas targeted by commercial operators. The map is colour coded and searchable by address and Eircode. The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services. My Department defines high speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload. The activities of commercial operators delivering high speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and my Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard. There may be a choice of operators offering this service in the area referred to and further information in this regard is available at www.comreg.ie/compare/#/services.
Premises in the area referenced in the Question are served directly from the local eir exchange. Our records indicate that eir is currently providing a minimum speed of 30Mbps to the premises referred to in the Question and to all the premises within the housing estate.
Complaints about service provision are a matter between the consumer and the service provider in the first instance. If this avenue has been exhausted without a satisfactory resolution, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) may be able to assist further. ComReg is the independent body that issues licences to broadband service providers and investigates complaints to make sure that companies are delivering services in line with their licence obligations.
In the event that, having exhausted the above options, a premises located in the BLUE area still cannot get high-speed broadband from service providers in the area, they should contact my Department at broadband@decc.gov.ie with full details and the matter will be investigated by my officials.
