On 30 August 2012, I published the National Broadband Plan, which contains ambitious targets for high speed broadband services across Ireland. The Plan is available on my Department’s website.
One of the first steps in delivering on the commitments in the National Broadband Plan will be the completion of a formal national mapping exercise to determine the exact position in relation to commercial service providers’ existing and planned broadband services throughout the country. It will also identify where the market is expected to succeed and fail in the delivery of high speed broadband over the coming years.
Until that process is complete, the precise areas of the country which will require State intervention will not be known. No expenditure on direct broadband provision will be incurred until this exercise is completed and procurement of a service provider(s) is rolled out.