Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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567. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if an area (details supplied) in County Kerry will be included in the upcoming fibre broadband roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29857/16]

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 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 procurement process aims to identify an entity or entities to build, rollout, operate and deliver high speed broadband of at least 30 Mbps upload and 6 Mbps download speeds to all premises within the intervention area.

The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie shows the extent of the State Intervention area:

- 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 areas marked AMBER on the High Speed Broadband Map represent the target areas for the State Intervention which are the subject of the current procurement process. The road between Firies and Castlemaine is included in the AMBER area and is therefore included in the procurement process.

The map provides information on a county by county basis with a breakdown of coverage across the townlands in every county including County. Individuals can check whether their premises is in a BLUE or an AMBER area by scrolling through the map online or entering their Eircode. The Department also has a dedicated mailbox and anyone with a query in relation to the Map should email the Department, quoting their Eircode, to

Over 51,000 premises in County Kerry are within the AMBER area and will be covered by the State Intervention including the townland of Mounthenry, County Kerry.