Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 February 2019
160. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of high-speed broadband in an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8849/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraPremises in the housing estate referenced by the Deputy fall into both the AMBER and LIGHT BLUE areas of my Department's High Speed Broadband Map, available at www.broadband.gov.ie.
- The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP. This intervention is the subject of an ongoing procurement process.
- The LIGHT BLUE areas are where eir is in the process of deploying high speed broadband to 300,000 premises on a commercial basis.
For those premises in the AMBER areas, the procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage. I will bring a recommendation to Government in relation to the NBP in the coming weeks.
Under a Commitment Agreement signed with my Department in April 2017, eir is in the process of passing 300,000 predominantly rural homes with high speed broadband. According to the latest data submitted by eir to my Department the company has passed approximately 225,000 premises nationwide as part of its ongoing deployment. This information will be available on my Department’s website shortly. Information on eir's rural deployment is available on that company’s website, http://fibrerollout.ie/Eircode-lookup/.
With regard to premises in the housing estate which are in the LIGHT BLUE area, I note that certain premises in the surrounding area have been recorded by eir as passed, meaning high speed broadband is available. However, a number of premises in the estate itself are not yet indicated as having been passed.
Officials in my Department will raise a query with eir in order to seek further information and will revert to the Deputy.
