Written Answers Nos. 248-256
248. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the allocation of Leader funding to the County Cork region is 70% less than the previous round of funding; his views that this is fair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13857/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra249. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the average of the national allocation of Leader funding County Cork received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13858/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra250. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rationale of using and allocating funding to a sub regional area; the extra areas that received funding under this category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13859/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra251. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way the criteria of sub regional areas were applied to the County Cork area, in view of the fact it has twice the population living in the county compared to its city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13860/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 248 to 251, inclusive, together.
I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 617, 618, 620, 632, 633 and 635 on 31 March 2015 which sets out the position in this matter.
252. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to improve the broadband service, as per the national broadband plan, in an area (details supplied) in County Galway; if he will ensure businesses have access to high speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13627/15]
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 and enhanced services with approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland 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.
Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas that will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016.
The AMBER areas show the target areas for the State intervention and includes Kiltrogue Co Galway. All premises within the AMBER areas will be included in the State's intervention.
Intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy for the AMBER area. Following a public consultation process on the draft Intervention Strategy this summer, I hope to move to formal procurement phase towards the end of this year in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders.
I anticipate that the first homes and businesses will be connected in 2016 and connections will continue thereafter, with the intention of having all premises connected within a 5 year period.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland.
253. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to connect the Dunnstown and Taghadoe stations under EirGrid's draft strategy, to develop Ireland's transmission grid; if so, the further information he will provide regarding the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13645/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraEirGrid published its latest review of its Grid25 programme in the form of a new draft grid development strategy entitled “Your Grid, Your Views, Your Tomorrow” on the 27th March 2015. The draft is shaped by three key pillars: open engagement with communities; making the most of new technologies; and a commitment to make the existing grid work harder before building new transmission infrastructure.
Information in relation to the Dunnstown and Taghadoe stations is contained in the review which can be found on the EirGrid website at www.eirgrid.com/yourgridyourviews
254. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to roll-out improved broadband services in County Cork, in particular to rural areas south of Cork city; when various areas will be serviced by faster broadband services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13654/15]
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 and enhanced services with approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland 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.
Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The map shows Ireland with two colours, BLUE and AMBER. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers plan to deliver high speed broadband services by end 2016. The AMBER areas on the map show the target areas for the State intervention. The website also provides information on a county by county basis with a breakdown of coverage across the townlands in every county including Cork.
The map can be checked to establish the precise location of individual premises or residences. Any premises within the AMBER area will be included in the State's intervention while any premises within the BLUE area will be serviced by commercial operators.
Intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy for the AMBER area. Following a public consultation process on the draft Intervention Strategy this summer, I hope to move to formal procurement phase towards the end of this year in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders.
I anticipate that the first homes and businesses will be connected in 2016 and connections will continue thereafter, with the intention of having all premises connected within a 5 year period.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland.
255. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the exact transmission capacity required for the underground Grid West option; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13655/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn Independent Expert Panel (IEP) was established in January 2014 to oversee the integrity of the process being undertaken by EirGrid to report on comprehensive, route-specific studies of overhead and underground options for both the Grid Link and Grid West projects. The studies and reports are to include assessments of potential environmental impacts, technical efficacy and cost factors.
I am advised that EirGrid submitted a report on the Grid West project to the Panel in early February 2015. The report identifies two overhead line options and one underground cable option. These options were also referred to in EirGrid's recently published Strategy. That report was considered by the Panel at its last meeting on 24 February 2015. I understand that the Panel sought further information in respect of certain parts of the report and will be engaging with EirGrid over the coming weeks in that regard. I am advised that the Panel expects to be in a position to provide me with an opinion on the Grid West project in April.
I understand that the minimum capacity required for the Grid West Project is approximately 410MW. This is regardless of whether an underground or overhead solution is selected as most appropriate. The minimum underground high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable available to facilitate this capacity is 500MW, therefore this is the capacity that EirGrid has assessed and brought forward to the Independent Expert Panel for comparison with 220kV overhead line and 400kV overhead line options.
256. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of the recommendations contained in the interagency working group report on job creation and new enterprise opportunities on the Gaoth Dobhair Business Park, County Donegal, in which the prioritising of the north west Donegal Gaeltacht within the National Broadband Plan was advocated, his plans to prioritise the area, with regard to the roll-out of high speed broadband; when he expects the delivery of such a service to the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13706/15]
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 and enhanced services with approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland 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.
Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas that will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016. The AMBER areas show the target areas for the State intervention and includes Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal. 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.
A public consultation on the map, which commenced in November, closed on the 12th February last. 29 submissions have been received to date and will be assessed over the coming weeks. This will help inform the key decisions that require to be taken in order to finalise our comprehensive Intervention Strategy which I intend publishing for consultation in July.
The strategy will address a range of important issues in relation to the intervention including the optimum procurement model, ownership and governance options, funding issues and levels of service for end-users. Part of the analysis being undertaken involves consideration of identifying and prioritising strategic connection points such as enterprise parks, schools and other points of economic or social activity within rural communities.
The proposed Intervention will also be subject to State Aid clearance from the European Commission.
Following the public consultation this summer, a detailed procurement process, in line with EU and Irish procurement rules, will be undertaken in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders. The Department will design the tender in a way that maximises efficiencies and keeps the cost of the network build as low as possible. I anticipate that the first homes and businesses will be connected in 2016 and connections will continue thereafter, with the intention of having all premises connected within a 5 year period.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland.
