Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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553. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to reintroduce the home computing initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27711/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Home Computing Initiative (HCI) was an industry-led initiative endorsed by the then Government in 2007, to make it easier for people to acquire home computers. In the period since 2007, there has been a significant increase in the number of households with access to the internet at home. National data from CSO indicates that 82% of households in 2014 use the internet at home, compared to 57% in 2007. Innovative advances in technology also means that portable computers (netbooks and tablets) along with smartphones, have overtaken the use of home computers, and are widely available in a highly competitive market.

With all households now having access to basic broadband and a high proportion having an internet subscription, my Department is focussed on delivering high speed broadband access, through the National Broadband Plan, and driving digital adoption through the National Digital Strategy. The strategy aims to position Ireland to take advantage of the opportunities of digital by getting more businesses trading online, more citizens online, and enhancing the use of ICT in the school environment.

According to the CSO, the main reasons stated for not having a household internet connection wasNot needed(42%) and Lack of skills (39%). My Department’s BenefIT programme is a key initiative under the National Digital Strategy to raise awareness and increase digital skills among citizens. It works in partnership with community voluntary and not-for-profit organisations to provide digital skills training to citizens in more than 700 locations right across the country. The combined efforts of my Department, its partners and other stakeholders are paying dividends with CSO statistics published in December 2014 showing the number of people who have never used the internet now reduced to 1 in 6.

I will arrange for my officials to forward the Deputy a copy of the National Digital Strategy.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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554. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when high-speed broadband will be provided to a townland (details supplied) in County Mayo under the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27175/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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. 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 www.broadband.gov.ie. 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. The AMBER areas on the map show the target areas for the State intervention and includes Ballintober, Co Mayo.

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

Members of the public should consult the map to establish for themselves the precise location and status of their individual premises.

More generally I can confirm that next generation broadband services have been rolled out to over 17,000 premises to date in Co Mayo with over 15,000 more expected to be served by commercial investment. Approximately 51,000 premises in Mayo will be covered either by further commercial investment or the proposed State intervention.

The Department has recently received updated information from operators in respect of further commercial rollout of high speed services. The Department is now reviewing all of the data provided by operators for 2016 - 2020 with a view to validating and updating commercial coverage plans and revising the map as appropriate.

In the meantime, intensive design and planning work continues 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.