Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will respond to the first question but will keep the other question in the back of my mind.

The national broadband plan, NBP, aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State-led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided.

On 24 November last, the Minister, Deputy White, launched a public consultation on the national high speed coverage map 2016. This allows all members of the public, whether business or residential, to see whether their premises or home is included in the Government’s proposed intervention. It also provides detailed information on a county-by-county basis as to which villages and townlands are to be included.

My Department is responsible for the calculation of the costs associated with the Government's intervention under the plan. This is an important part of the detailed work that is being undertaken to finalise the detailed intervention strategy. Ultimately, however, the outcome of the tender process will determine the final cost of the intervention.

Detailed technical, legal, regulatory, financial and economic evaluations are required to ensure that the tender will be designed in such a way that maximises efficiencies and keeps the cost to taxpayers as low as possible. Given the strong dynamic that currently exists in the Irish broadband market we can expect a very competitive procurement process.

The next steps in this process will see a further public consultation on the detailed intervention strategy in mid-2015. A detailed procurement process will be undertaken in order to select a potential bidder or bidders towards the end of 2015 and it is expected that the physical build of this network will commence from 2016.

This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland and no doubt in Longford-Westmeath.

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