Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 June 2017
188. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to avail of the European Commission’s programme under the WiFi4EU scheme to promote free Wi-Fi connectivity for EU citizens and visitors in public spaces and in particular for County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29260/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) No 1316/2013 and (EU) No 283/2014 as regards the promotion of Internet connectivity in local communities - COM(2016)589 was agreed at political level on 29 May 2017. Known as "WIFI4EU", the proposal announced by the European Commission in September 2016, is designed to provide a limited number of public Wi-Fi hotspots in public spaces such as parks, squares, libraries, and some public buildings.
Importantly, it is proposed that hotspots will rest on existing backhaul provided by public entities defined as municipalities, grouping of municipalities, and other local public authorities and institutions, libraries and hospitals. While these hotspots will provide additional connectivity, they are not designed to fill in broadband coverage gaps, or replace mobile phone services. They will, however, offer additional flexibility for internet connectivity in certain public areas for citizens. By stimulating integration with existing public services, the initiative will assist in promoting public interest in high capacity internet services and will contribute to the take-up of broadband services and also to the development of public infrastructure and digital inclusion.
The total amount available for the project across all EU Member States will amount to €120 million under the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding mechanism, which will be administered in a series of tranches over a period of three years. The total amount should result in approximately 6,000 – 8,000 local communities across the EU receiving hotspots at an approximate cost of €20,000 per hotspot. The first call for proposals amounting to €20 million is likely to be launched in late 2017, although no date is yet confirmed.
Details of the exact administrative process for applicants, are yet to be decided at technical level, and details of arrangements will be announced in due course by the European Commission. It is known, however, that the hotspots will be paid for through a voucher scheme. The European Commission is working closely with EU Member States including Ireland to determine the logistics of the eventual process. It is not known how many hotspots Ireland will receive overall. However, the principle of geographical balance across Member States will apply so that Ireland should receive a proportionate share.
The potential applicants in Ireland’s case will likely include local authorities, with any local authority eligible to apply as long as their application fulfils the conditions set by the European Commission.
