Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The national broadband plan 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. The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades and enhanced services. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.

In November 2014, I published a national high-speed coverage map for 2016. The areas marked in blue on the map represent those areas that will have access to commercial high-speed broadband services. Those marked in amber show the target areas for the State intervention. All premises within the amber areas will be included in the State's intervention. The map allows all members of the public, be they business or residential, to see whether their premises or home will have access to commercial high-speed broadband services by the end of 2016 or whether they will be included in the Government's proposed intervention. The high-speed map contains a breakdown of premises covered per townland. It is anticipated that speeds of at least 30 Mbps will be also delivered through the Government's intervention and the network will be designed to cater for future increased demand from consumers and business. Consumers may also consult the websites of the various commercial operators to ascertain details of current and planned future deployment intentions.

Over 40 responses were received following the publication of the national broadband plan proposed intervention strategy last July. Non-confidential versions of these submissions are being published and can be accessed on the website. In the meantime my Department continues to review the technical and financial detail relating to potential new commercial investment proposals. I expect to proceed to formal procurement before the end of this month. The Government is determined to ensure that the network is built out as quickly as possible and engagement with industry stakeholders has indicated that this could be achieved within three to five years of the contract award. In this context, the national broadband plan proposes that through the combination of commercial investment and State intervention, 85% of addresses in Ireland will have access to high-speed services by 2018, with an ambition of 100% coverage by end of 2020.

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