Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 May 2018
41. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress of the actions under his Department’s remit for the mobile phone and broadband task force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18900/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce was established in July 2016 to identify solutions to broadband and mobile phone coverage deficits and to investigate how better services could be provided to consumers prior to full roll-out of National Broadband Plan. The Taskforce published its final report in December 2016, which set out 40 actions aimed at addressing the issues it identified.
An Implementation Group was established in early 2017 to oversee the timely implementation of all the actions of the Taskforce’s report. On 21 February 2018, this Group published a review of progress made during 2017. The 2017 Review also contains the 2018 Work Programme for the Implementation Group. In total, there are 34 actions for delivery in 2018. Progress updates are published on my Department's website on a quarterly basis. All progress reports, along with the 2017 review, are available at: http://drcd.gov.ie/about/rural/rural-development/mobile-phone-and-broadband-taskforce/.
In terms of the actions directly under my Department's remit, the appointment of Broadband Officers in each Local Authority, which my Department co-finances, is impacting positively on increased levels of communications with the telecoms industry and in identifying and addressing barriers to the roll-out of telecoms infrastructure.
A mobile phone blackspots "mapping exercise" is bringing together local authorities and mobile phone operators to identify practical solutions to improve mobile phone coverage and quality throughout the country. In addition, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) has established a Blackspots Focus Group that will identify specific categories of locations where high quality mobile coverage should be available. This will inform future policy to address critical blackspot locations.
My Department, in cooperation with DCCAE, are exploring the feasibility of developing a standardised policy for accessing and utilising State assets for the deployment of telecoms infrastructure. The Departments have met with a number of stakeholders and plan to establish a Working Group in the coming months.
The development of Local Digital Strategies across the 31 Local Authorities is actively being supported by my Department with the assistance of Indecon consultants. Digital readiness assessments, which will form the baseline for the strategies, are being finalised for each Local Authority and the next steps will see a series of workshops being held with Local Authorities to explain the findings and provide guidance for the development of the 31 local digital strategies.
A National Stakeholder Forum, held in October 2017, brought together key stakeholders to openly discuss issues impacting on the roll-out of telecommunications infrastructure, and to suggest new recommendations for the Taskforce Implementation Group to adopt in order to accelerate the provision of improved services to consumers. A similar Stakeholder Forum is in planning for Quarter 3 2018.
