Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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361. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department can assist with the roll-out of fibre optic broadband to rural areas, as envisaged by the ESB (Electronic Communications Networks) Bill 2013 and under the rural development programme of the Common Agricultural Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6357/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The LEADER elements of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 (RDP) will primarily address Priority 6 of the European Union priorities for rural development which is promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas.

Preparatory work in drafting the Operational Programme for the next RDP is currently underway and includes an extensive needs analysis as well as both public and stakeholder consultation processes. Themes emerging from these processes and the research conducted by CEDRA, the Commission on Economic Development of Rural Areas, present similar areas of need within rural Ireland that could be supported through RDP interventions. These areas include the need to support and enhance national communication initiatives, to improve broadband and communications infrastructure with a particular focus on the needs of rural areas.

It is not possible, at this early stage of the process, to indicate what type of assistance the LEADER elements of the next RDP might be able to provide to support the provision of enhanced broadband in rural areas.