Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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679. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the estimated costs of delivering universal broadband to all premises. [46315/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Government’s 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.

On 29 September 2015, the Government agreed and published its 6 year Capital Plan, Building on Recovery, which included an allocation of €275m for the National Broadband Plan. This will provide the initial stimulus required to deliver the Government's intervention and it is expected that further funding will be available over the lifetime of any contract(s)

Funding of €75m is also committed through the European Regional Development Fund and is generally drawn down after Exchequer expenditure is first incurred.

Combined with commercial investment, this will ensure that 85% of Ireland's premises have high speed broadband by 2018, with an ambition of 100% coverage by 2020.

Because a competitive procurement process is anticipated, it would be neither advisable nor appropriate to speculate about the potential overall cost of the NBP at this stage. Ultimately, the outcome of the procurement process will determine the final cost of the intervention. I expect to proceed to formal procurement before the end of this year. Progress on the project and the outcome of the procurement process will influence the quantum of Exchequer funding that will be expended on the NBP in 2016.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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680. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has considered community broadband projects such as the rural broadband project in northern England for an Irish setting; the estimated cost of piloting a similar project in each county based on this model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46316/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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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. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.

The proposed State intervention is targeted at areas where commercial investment is not forthcoming, and through the combination of commercial and State investment the NBP aims to deal conclusively with connectivity challenges for every home and business in the State. While it is not envisaged that a separate community based scheme would be introduced at this juncture, there will be scope to prioritise areas for network rollout, depending on the technology and network being employed by the winning bidder(s). I am also aware that a number of commercial companies are piloting the rollout of high speed services to rural communities in anticipation of the NBP intervention.

I expect to proceed to formal procurement before the end of the year. The Government is determined to ensure that the network is built out as quickly as possible and engagement with industry stakeholders has indicated that this could be achieved within 3-5 years of the contract award.

In this context, the NBP proposes that through the combination of commercial investment and State intervention, 85% of addresses in Ireland will have access to high speed services by 2018 with an ambition of 100% coverage by 2020.