Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 October 2018
188. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when high-speed broadband will be installed in the Corrigeenroe, Boyle, County Roscommon; the timeline for same; if the work will involve running broadband boxes on poles from the exchange in Boyle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41268/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn April 2017 I published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area under the National Broadband Plan.
There are 65 premises in Aghacarra (Corrigeenroe). 14 (22%) fall within the AMBER area and therefore will be served under the State led Intervention, while 51 (78%) are LIGHT BLUE and fall to be served by eir's planned rural deployment.
Under a Commitment Agreement signed with me in April 2017, eir is in the process of passing 300,000 predominantly rural homes with high speed broadband. Approximately 175,000 of the committed premises have been passed as of Q2 2018.
According to my Departement's map, eir's deployment has yet to reach Aghacarra (Corrigeenroe). Further details on eir’s deployment are available at www.fibrerollout.ie. The manner of the deployment within the LIGHT BLUE area is a matter for eir.
My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company who will roll out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage. Evaluation of the final tender submission is ongoing and will be allowed the time required. On conclusion of the evaluation, my Department will make a recommendation to me on whether to appoint the bidder as preferred bidder and I will bring the matter to Government for decision.
For those premises currently awaiting access to high speed broadband, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.
Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen. These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. The Department of Rural and Community Development maintain a list of Broadband Officers, a link to which is available on my Department's website at https://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/communications/topics/Broadband/national-broadband-plan/Pages/NBP-Information-Leaflets.aspx
