Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 February 2015
182. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the tender for the contract to provide fibre broadband to 700,000 rural homes and businesses, with a minimum speed of 30 megabits per second, irrespective of the location of the premises will be awarded; the number of companies that have tendered for this contract, together with their names; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6316/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades. Approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland are expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next two years. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.
On the 24 November last, a public consultation on a national high speed coverage map 2016 was launched. The map can be accessed at www.broadband.gov.ie. The areas on the map marked Blue will all have access to high speed broadband services of at least 30mbps from the commercial sector by end of 2016. The areas marked Amber will require the intervention of the State. It is anticipated that speeds of at least 30Mbps will also be delivered through the Government’s intervention.
The map allows all members of the public, be they business or residential, to see whether their premises / home will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016 or whether they will be included in the Government's proposed intervention. It also provides detailed information on over 50,000 townlands in every county in Ireland.
In tandem with the mapping consultation, intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy. The strategy will address a range of issues in relation to the intervention including the optimum procurement model, ownership model for the infrastructure, intervention cost and likely market impact.
My Department has engaged external advisors to provide legal, economic, technical and financial advice on the various aspects of the Plan over the next two years. The next steps in this process will see a further public consultation on a detailed intervention strategy in mid-2015. The Intervention Strategy will be notified to the European Commission for State Aid clearance.
Following the public consultation, a detailed procurement process will be undertaken towards the end of this year in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders. The Department will design a tender in a way that maximises efficiencies and keeps the cost of the network build as low as possible. It is expected that the physical build of this network will commence from 2016. It will then be incrementally rolled out over a period of three to five years.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland.
