Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 October 2018
520. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of a contract to supply broadband to a school (details supplied) in County Galway; when progress will be made on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43304/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school referred to by the Deputy is in the AMBER area on the High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and is the subject of an ongoing procurement process.
The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage with evaluation ongoing of the final tender received on 18 September. The Taoiseach has asked Mr. Peter Smyth, the independent process auditor to the NBP procurement to review the process. Mr. Smyth will submit a report to the Taoiseach and to me as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment within three weeks. This review will take place in parallel to the evaluation being carried out by the Department’s procurement team on the final tender for the plan.
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 Task force to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.
Under this Task force, 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.
