Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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444. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the need to provide an adequate broadband telecommunications service throughout all of County Cavan; the proposals there are to ensure the necessary investment is made at an early date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31606/14]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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445. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the need to provide an adequate broadband telecommunications service throughout all of County Monaghan; the proposals there are to ensure the necessary investment is made at an early date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31607/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 445 together.

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 20 fibre-based broadband networks in County Cavan and 17 networks in County Monaghan by July 2016. In addition the recent announcement of a joint venture between ESB and Vodafone includes proposals to provide high speed broadband in both Cavan and Monaghan towns.

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 38 areas in County Cavan and 36 areas in County Monaghan.

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.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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446. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his Department has received complaints on the totally inadequate mobile telephone coverage in counties Cavan and Monaghan; if such concerns have been brought to the attention of the Commission for Communications Regulation or to the telecommunications companies; the proposals, if any, there are to upgrade the telecommunications infrastructure to provide the appropriate level of service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31609/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Under the terms of licences issued by the telecommunications regulator, ComReg, Mobile Network Operators are required to provide a minimum level of national population coverage. The design of the network is a matter entirely for the operator concerned although operators tend to exceed their minimum 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.

Complaints regarding mobile telephone coverage are a matter in the first instance for the operator. Complaints can also be escalated to ComReg which has a role in ensuring licence requirements such as coverage obligations are met. ComReg monitors compliance with licence requirements by means of biannual drive tests. I understand that current testing is designed to cover all primary and secondary national routes, with measurements being performed on all Mobile Networks.

ComReg's 2012 multiband spectrum auction has released additional radio spectrum previously unavailable for mobile operators. This is expected to further improve the coverage and quality of mobile service throughout the country. 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 by all operators in enhancing and broadening 3G services and network improvements.

I would also point out that Local Authorities have a strong role to play in facilitating the roll-out of the necessary telecommunications infrastructure to help enable service availability throughout the country. 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.