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National Broadband Plan Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 November 2019

Tuesday, 26 November 2019

Ceisteanna (387, 388)

John Brassil

Ceist:

387. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of providers that have been accepted for the national broadband plan; the number of providers that have been rejected without engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48721/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

John Brassil

Ceist:

388. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the material change to the national broadband plan intervention area since the mapping exercise; the number of premises added to the intervention area; the number of premises removed from same; the breakdown of premises removed from the intervention area by operator type that is fixed line, cable, mobile, fixed wireless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48724/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together.

As a State intervention, the NBP must comply with the requirements of the European Commission’s Guidelines on the application of State aid rules for broadband networks. The Guidelines require, amongst other things, that Member States carry out a detailed mapping exercise to identify as far as reasonably possible those areas where intervention is required.

Having consulted with industry on an ongoing basis, my Department recently conducted a final public consultation to close the mapping exercise in advance of the award of the NBP contract. Over 180 submissions were received from a variety of stakeholders, including 30 from large and small commercial telecommunications operators, with the remainder from local authority broadband officers and members of the public.

Following evaluation of the submissions and receipt of a positive State aid decision on 15 November, responses have been issued to the submissions from the commercial operators.

Having evaluated the submissions received, approximately 38,000 premises were removed from the intervention area as commercial operators provided evidence that these premises can now access a high speed broadband service from an existing network. These premises relate to network deployment detailed in submissions received from eir (34,000 premises) regarding its fibre rural network and SIRO (4,000 premises) as part of its wider fibre network rollout, which were evaluated as meeting the assessment criteria published by the Department.

In addition, approximately 37,000 premises originally identified as being served by commercial operators have now been included in the intervention area for the NBP, as commercial operators' plans to serve these premises have not materialised.

The map has also been updated for approximately an additional 2,000 premises identified in the latest Ordinance Survey Ireland data. The final Intervention Area now covers 537,596 premises.

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