Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2021
152. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason a property (details supplied) is still not included in the intervention area for the roll-out of fibre optic cables despite being told that the premises had been excluded from the AMBER area due to an anomaly and that this would be remedied on the high-speed broadband map. [24016/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe premises referred to in the Question is located in the BLUE area on the NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan as commercial operators are already providing high speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. My Department defines high speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload. The activities of commercial operators delivering high speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and my Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard. It has come to my Department’s attention, however, that some BLUE premises are having difficulty connecting to a commercial high speed network, and may continue to do so in the future. My Department is currently examining these premises, including the one referred to in the Question, with the aim that access to high speed broadband is made available, either through commercial means or through the National Broadband Plan intervention. Where appropriate, premises may be reclassified on the high speed broadband map.
The NBP High Speed Broadband Map is dynamic. This means that the intervention area can be updated to reflect new commercial plans, or previous plans that have failed to materialise. This flexibility allows for an increase or decrease in the number of premises included in the State Intervention area.
