David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

35. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 8 and 14 of 23 October 2014 regarding the State-led investment aspect of the national broadband plan, the progress that has been made with the European Commission in obtaining state aid clearance for the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10492/15]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Last November the Minister published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at . The areas marked BLUE represent those areas that will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016. The AMBER areas show the target areas for the State intervention. The map allows all members of the public, be they business or residential, to see whether their premises/home will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016 or whether they will be included in the Government's proposed intervention.

A public consultation on the map, which commenced in November, closed on the 12th February last. 29 submissions have been received to date and will be assessed over the coming weeks. This will help inform the key decisions that require to be taken in order to finalise our comprehensive Intervention Strategy which will be published for consultation in July next.

The proposed State interevention is subject to EU State Aid clearance from DG Competition. Formal notification will not be made until consultation on the Intervention Strategy is completed later this year. In the meantime, the Department continues to liaise closely with DG Competition on a range of issues related to the Plan and we hope to be in a position by this summer to be able to submit a pre-notification to the Commission. This is an informal and preliminary stage in the overall State Aid clearance process but can help in expediting the later formal notification stage.