Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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30. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to provide high-speed, high-quality broadband and mobile telephony in all areas and to maximise the quality and availability, as available globally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16167/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to deliver high speed services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the delivery of the NBP as a matter of priority.  This is being achieved through private investment by commercial telecommunications companies and through a State intervention in areas where commercial investment is not forthcoming. The formal procurement process for the State Intervention commenced in December 2015.

The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ieshows the extent of the State Intervention area, which is the subject of procurement. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have previously indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services. The Department continues to monitor the commercial deployment plans in the BLUE area to ensure that those services are delivered. The areas marked AMBER on the High Speed Broadband Map represent the target areas for the State Intervention. The map provides information on a county by county basis with a breakdown of coverage across the townlands in every county.

Over 750,000 premises are the focus for  the procurement process, which formally commenced in December 2015 with the publication of the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire ('PQQ') and Project Information Memorandum. Five responses were received from prospective bidders to this stage of the competitive procurement process by the deadline of 31 March 2016. The second stage in the procurement process will be a formal invitation to Participate in Dialogue (ITPD) to shortlisted bidders. I expect that my Department will move to this stage in the next month.  The third stage of the procurement process involves the issue of final tender documentation which follows the dialogue process.  Following the submission of final tenders by bidders, a winning bidder(s) will be selected for the contract which will comprise one or two lots as set out in the NBP Intervention Strategy. The Department will then enter into formal contract negotiations with the winning bidder(s). It is expected that contract(s) will be awarded by June 2017.

As part of the competitive process, the Department will engage with winning bidder(s) on the best rollout strategy, in order to target areas of particularly poor service, business needs and/or high demand. This will need to be balanced with the most efficient network rollout plan. A prioritisation programme will be put in place in this regard, in consultation with the Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht. A detailed rollout plan for the network will be published once contract(s) are in place.

The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to measures to assist in the rollout of the network once a contract is awarded.  In this regard, Minister Humphreys will lead on the establishment of county or regional broadband taskforces, working with Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Offices, LEADER Groups and other relevant agencies to help accelerate the broadband network build in rural Ireland, once a contract(s) has been awarded.

In the meantime, my Department continues to liaise closely with industry and relevant other Departments and agencies to assist in the commercial deployment of telecommunications networks. The commercial telecommunications sector has invested over €2bn in upgrading and modernising networks which support the provision of high speed broadband services, including acquiring spectrum under ComReg's 2012 Multi-Band Spectrum Auction for rollout of 3G and 4G mobile services. These investments will further improve the coverage and quality of broadband and mobile voice and data services throughout the country. The Department is working with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government with a view to removing planning and other infrastructure barriers to telecommunications infrastructure rollout.

The Programme for a Partnership Government also commits to the establishment of a mobile phone and broadband taskforce which will consider further measures to address telecommunications deficits in rural Ireland.  My Department is engaging with the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, in relation to the terms of reference for the taskforce to ensure delivery of the Programme for Government commitment within the timelines set out. It is likely that the taskforce will involve a number of Government Departments and agencies, as well as engagement with telecommunications operators. My Department has already conducted a number of meetings with vendors and mobile operators to help inform the process and identify what tangible measures can be taken.