Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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838. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is aware of the concern of the north-west regional executive committee of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation regarding access for business to high-speed broadband that despite substantial investment by the private sector, some 53% of premises in that region do not have access to high-speed broadband, which is a barrier to job creation, social inclusion and to balanced regional growth, and which goes against businesses' ability to compete online where an estimated €5.9 billion is spent annually online by consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23719/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Government recognises that access to high quality, high speed broadband is important for businesses and households throughout Ireland and is critically aware of the issues raised by IBEC in the North West and elsewhere in Ireland.The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided.

The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades and enhanced services with approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next 18 months. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.

Last November I 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. All premises within the AMBER areas will be included in the State's 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.

It is anticipated that speeds of at least 30Mbps will be also delivered through the Government's intervention and the network will be designed to cater for future increased demand from consumers and business.

Eircom recently announced an investment that may address a further 300,000 premises with fibre-to-the-premises technology. My Department will be rigorously examining the assurances from eircom in relation to these new plans, which is a requirement for all operators, and will review how this impacts the proposed intervention area.

More generally, I can confirm that next generation broadband services have been rolled out to over 36,545 premises to date in the North West region comprising Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim with a further 42,240 premises expected to be served over the next 18 months. The remaining 83,935 premises in the North West Region are the target for the proposed State intervention under the National Broadband Plan.

Intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy for the AMBER area. Following a public consultation process on the draft Intervention Strategy this summer, I hope to move to formal procurement phase towards the end of this year in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders.

I expect the physical build of the network to begin in late 2016, and it will take 3-5 years to fully complete – depending on the details of the bid or bids selected.

This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government and aims to conclusively address current broadband connectivity issues in Ireland.

It is envisaged that access to high speed broadband coupled with the measures being introduced under the National Digital Strategy will maximise growth potential in rural areas by encouraging businesses to make better use of the internet so that they can reach wider markets, grow their business and create jobs.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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839. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if she will account for the low broadband penetration rates in Cork city and county; the actions that are being taken to address this situation; the timeframe for connecting remaining households and businesses to high speed Internet of at least 30 Mbps, the minimum that the European Commission has set for a viable service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23727/15]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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840. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way 32% of business premises in Cork city and county do not have access to high speed broadband of at least 30 Mbps; the actions that are being taken to address this situation; the timeframe for connecting remaining premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23728/15]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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841. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources considering that high speed broadband is vital for businesses to compete on a level playing field in the online market place, if he will provide a timeframe regarding connecting remaining businesses in Cork city and county to high-speed broadband Internet access of at least 30 Mbps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23729/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 839, 840 and 841 together.

The Government's National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided.

The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades and enhanced services with approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next 18 months. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.

Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at . The map shows Ireland with two colours, BLUE and AMBER. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers plan to deliver high speed broadband services by end 2016. The AMBER areas on the map show the target areas for the State intervention.

It is anticipated that speeds of at least 30Mbps will be also delivered through the Government's intervention and the network will be designed to cater for future increased demand from consumers and business.

Under EU State Aid rules, public investment in a commercial market has to be targeted at areas where there is evidence of market failure. Therefore, the Government's proposed investment under the NBP will only apply to those parts of County Cork that are within the Amber areas of our map. Those premises in County Cork within the Blue areas will be provided with services through commercial investment over the next 18 months.

Eircom recently announced an investment that may address a further 300,000 premises with fibre-to-the-premises technology including Cork. My Department will be rigorously examining the assurances from eircom in relation to these new plans, which is a requirement for all operators, and will review how this impacts the proposed intervention area.

More generally I can confirm that next generation broadband services have been rolled out to 126,118 premises to date in Co Cork with a further 55,664 expected to be served over the next 18 months. The remaining 85,972 premises in Co Cork will be covered by commercial investment or be the target for the proposed State intervention under the National Broadband Plan.

Intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy for the AMBER area. Following a public consultation process on the draft Intervention Strategy this summer, I hope to move to formal procurement phase towards the end of this year in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders.

I expect the physical build of the network to begin in late 2016, and it will take 3-5 years to fully complete – depending on the details of the bid or bids selected.

This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government and aims to conclusively address current broadband connectivity issues in mainly rural parts of the country.