Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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619. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress made by the working group established under the national broadband plan of 2012 to consider timely and standardised processing of permit applications for telecommunications infrastructure by agencies under his remit; the progress made towards the introduction of a new unified online application system for relevant licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28527/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The development and implementation of a Road Management System for Ireland is considered to be a high priority to ensure best practice in a number of areas including improved consistency in road licensing and utility permits. Work in that regard is supportive of the Government’s Broadband Strategy as well as the Action Plan for Jobs and is centred on MapRoad (Geographical Information System (GIS) enabled, Roads Management Information System). This system is in operation in all local authorities in Ireland and is being developed on a modular basis with initial work focussing primarily on roadworks and utility permits.

The MapRoad Roadworks and Licensing module has been developed with the assistance of my Department’s Roadworks and Licensing Working Group that includes other Government Departments and stakeholders. The module is being implemented in local authorities together with associated training. The system is now live in 14 local authorities and is expected to be live in all local authorities by end 2014. In tandem with this, work is progressing with industry in terms of maximising use of the system.

Two important elements from an industry perspective are the availability of a standardised on-line processing procedure across local authorities together with a single portal application point.