Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 June 2023
148. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which broadband service to residents of Firmount, Clane, County Kildare, can expect an improvement in broadband services to facilitate working from home or business transactions as required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26767/23]
View answerThe High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie, shows the areas 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.
Premises in the AMBER area will be provided with high-speed broadband through the State led Intervention. The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
The majority of the premises in Firmount are located in the BLUE area on the high-speed broadband map with some premises located in the AMBER area; National Broadband Ireland (NBI) advise that the network build in the Firmount AMBER area is in progress with an anticipated connection date of April – June 2024.
BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan as commercial operators are already providing high-speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. My Department defines high-speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload. Under State aid rules, my Department is not permitted to displace commercial investment by intervening in areas where commercial investment exists or is planned, as to do so would be an infringement of these State aid rules.
In December 2022 my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets namely:
* all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028;
* all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030.
The majority of digital connectivity across the State will be delivered through commercial investment by the telecommunications industry and this will be complemented by the National Broadband Plan.
