Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Delivering the national broadband plan is a top priority for the Government, as reflected in the programme for a partnership Government. The allocation of new responsibilities at Cabinet level signals the Government's firm intention to address broadband and other telecoms challenges in rural Ireland. To this end, I will be working closely with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to deliver key elements of the national broadband plan and to accelerate and prioritise the roll-out of the programme in rural areas.

Under the new arrangements, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources will continue with the procurement process for the State broadband intervention, which commenced in December 2015. The next stage in that process is to qualify potential bidders and to invite those short-listed to engage in detailed formal dialogue. Meanwhile, my Department will focus on establishing county-regional broadband task forces in which local authorities, local enterprise offices, Leader groups and other relevant agencies will immediately engage with communities and the telecoms industry in order to eliminate delay factors in advance and enable effective rural broadband delivery once a contract has been awarded under the procurement process.

As committed to in the programme for a partnership Government, within the first 100 days a mobile phone and broadband task force will be established, co-chaired by my Department and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. It will include other relevant Departments, ComReg, the County and City Management Association, relevant agencies and the telecoms industry. The task force will address existing barriers in the areas of infrastructure planning, road opening-reinstatement and environmental consents, industry investment and any other measure that could address telecommunications deficits in rural Ireland.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

The two Departments will also establish a joint working group to ensure that the procurement and roll-out planning are progressed in parallel and as a priority.

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