Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 January 2014
476. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 152 of 7 March 2013, if he considers the acceptance by his Department of minimum marketed speeds, of a contractor or contractors under the National Broadband Plan; if he will provide sufficient certainty of service performance to the target consumer group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4259/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 and in some instances have been accelerated in both fixed line and wireless high speed broadband services. These developments have been facilitated through the implementation of measures in the National Broadband Plan, including the conclusion of ComReg's multiband spectrum auction, and the new regulatory regime for fixed line Next Generation Access and service bundles. Both of these measures are designed to incentivise the rollout of services by operators.
In tandem with these developments, intensive work is underway in my Department to progress a State-led investment to secure the countrywide introduction of next generation broadband access. 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 over the coming years, the results of which will inform the 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 on-going. Issues regarding obligations which might be placed on any potential contractor to be engaged as a result of the procurement process will be considered as part of the detailed design of the intervention. It is my intention to publish the map showing existing and planned next generation broadband coverage, along with the Government's proposals for the intervention, later this year.
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 later 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.
