Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 April 2018
455. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when broadband will be brought to The Bower, Balbriggan; the reason for the difficulty in delivering broadband in view of the fact that an adjacent estate has high speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17454/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. Today, almost 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. Since this Government came into office almost 400,000 additional premises have access to high speed broadband. This will increase to nearly 8 out of 10 premises by the end of this year and by 2020, 9 out of 10 premises will have access to a high speed broadband connection. This is being achieved via a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention.
The area referred to by the Deputy comprises approximately 1,878 premises and falls within a BLUE area in the townland of Balbriggan on my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map (available at www.broadband.gov.ie). The BLUE areas on the Map represent the areas targeted for delivery of high speed broadband by commercial operators. Therefore a high speed broadband service for this area will be realised through commercial operators.
Telecommunications companies operate in a liberalised market and while I have no statutory authority to intervene in their day to day operations, my Department is collating information in relation to cases/areas where commercial plans to provide access to high speed broadband to premises do not materialise. I would encourage consumers in the referred area to contact my Department directly at broadband@dccae.gov.ie with details, quoting their address, eircode and fixed line telephone number (if available) and details of operators they have contacted with a view to obtaining a broadband service. My Department will then be in a position to engage further on this issue.
