Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

440. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding broadband and proper mobile phone coverage for the village of Dromineer, Nenagh, County Tipperary (details supplied) [31316/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government’s National Broadband Plan aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses. This is being achieved through measures designed to accelerate commercial investment and the development of a State-led intervention for non-commercial areas.

Since publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector have accelerated with commercial operators investing, or committing to invest, approximately €2.5 billion in networks and services. I understand that at least one network operator has published a programme to roll out 43 fibre-based broadband networks in County Tipperary by July 2016. In addition the recent announcement of a joint venture between ESB and Vodafone includes a proposal to provide high speed broadband in Clonmel.

The Government has committed to an ambitious network build-out to rural Ireland, with fibre as the foundation of the State-led intervention. This will be part of an end-to-end strategy to deliver high speed broadband services to all parts of Ireland that cannot be commercially served.

Under EU State Aid Guidelines Member States cannot intervene where commercial investors have plans to roll out services. A comprehensive mapping exercise is underway in my Department, to identify those areas that require a State intervention. An initial list has already been identified and includes 79 areas in County Tipperary, including Dromineer.

A stakeholder consultation on the implementation of the State-led intervention has recently been launched and will feed into the mapping exercise, which I expect to conclude in autumn. It is my intention to conduct a full public consultation on the outcome of the mapping process and the proposed end-to-end strategy. EU State aid clearance will also be required. This will be followed by a detailed procurement process with a view to commencing construction of the fibre network and provision of services as quickly as possible.

In terms of mobile coverage, licences issued by ComReg require Mobile Network Operators to provide a minimum level of national population coverage. Operators tend to exceed these coverage requirements for commercial reasons. However, given that mobile telephone services are a radio based technology, services can be affected by several factors including topography, the capacity of the network and more generally the quality of access customers have to mobile telephone antennas.

ComReg's 2012 multiband spectrum auction has released additional radio spectrum which is expected to further improve the coverage and quality of mobile services. Since the auction, three mobile operators have launched 4G high speed mobile broadband services and roll-out is continuing. There has also been continued investment in enhancing and broadening 3G services and network improvements.

Local Authorities also have a strong role to play in facilitating the roll-out of the necessary telecommunications infrastructure. This is a matter which has been raised by telecommunications services providers and is reflected in the Government's National Broadband Plan which commits to addressing barriers to deployment of services.