Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 October 2013
64. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding poor broadband speeds (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43805/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband services, is, in the first instance, a matter for private sector service providers who operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated by the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). Broadband services are provided by a number of commercial service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e. over telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, fibre and satellite. Details of broadband services available on a county-by-county basis can be found on ComReg’s website at www.callcosts.ie.
As the Deputy will be aware from my response to his previous Question on 10 July 2013, the Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August 2012, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses. This will be achieved by providing:
- a policy and regulatory framework that assists in accelerating and incentivising commercial investment, and
- a State-led investment for areas where it is not commercial for the market to invest.
Since the publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector are underway in both fixed line and wireless high speed broadband services, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas. The State can only intervene to ensure access to broadband services in areas where the competitive market fails to deliver such services. In order to progress the State-led investment for areas where it is not commercial for the market to invest, a full procurement process must be designed and EU State Aids approval must be obtained.
My Department is engaged in a comprehensive mapping exercise of the current and anticipated investment by the commercial sector to identify where the market is expected to deliver high speed broadband services over the coming years. The results of this mapping exercise will inform the precise areas that need to be targeted in the State-led investment as envisaged in the National Broadband Plan. Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations, including stakeholder engagement, are ongoing. The procurement process for the approved intervention will be carried out in accordance with EU and Irish procurement rules and it is expected that it will be launched in 2014.
Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, I am committed to ensuring that all parts of Ireland have access to high speed broadband, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and businesses can participate fully in, and maximise the benefits of, a digitally enabled economy and society.
