Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I hope the new national broadband scheme that we are rolling out, and about which I will be answering questions later, will close the gap where there is a shortage of service and an inability for customers, particularly in rural areas, to get broadband. We will ensure that not a single house is left out. That roll-out may also have knock-on benefits for building up the pole network and other infrastructure networks. I hope that will benefit and help other customers as the backhaul and other parts of the network are enhanced to provide that coverage.

Where that is not possible, there is competition. Rival services such as SIRO are rolling out high-quality broadband to tens of thousands of houses. Competition is a way to make sure that other operators which are not providing the sort of customer service we expect face consequences. Customers will be able to use their power to move to other operators from which they are getting proper service and responses. In areas where there is no service, the State will step in to close the gap but where there is competition, I believe that will be an impetus for companies to improve.

At the same time, and as I said in my original response, there is a universal service obligation on Eir. It is ComReg's job to monitor, manage and, where appropriate, reprimand companies if they are not meeting the basic service requirements set out. I will forward the Deputy's complaints to ComReg to get the message across that what he is seeing on the ground in Tipperary is not up to the standard expected of a universal service provider. I will ensure that is brought to ComReg's attention and it will then be its responsibility to take whatever action must be taken.

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