Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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77. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the withdrawal of a company (details supplied) from the national broadband competition will result in higher costs to the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41839/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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As I have already indicated to the House, last week my Department received "Detailed Solutions" from two bidders as part of the ongoing procurement process to select a bidder, or bidders, who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network for those areas that will not be served by commercial operators acting alone. These bidders were Eircom Limited and the Granahan McCourt, enet, SSE, John Laing Group plc consortium.  This is a significant and positive milestone in the process and the path to a digitally equal Ireland. The submissions received means that we are at the final stages of this procurement process.  My Department's specialist NBP team are now evaluating these two submissions over the coming weeks, with the expectation that very early in 2018, bidders will be invited to submit final tenders. As the level of State subsidy required for the National Broadband Plan will be determined through the competitive tender process, it would be premature and not in the public interest, to discuss costs while that procurement process is still in train. The process remains competitive.   

As the House is aware, SIRO formally withdrew from the procurement process last week.  SIRO remain strongly supportive of the National Broadband Plan and will focus on its investment of €450m to provide fibre broadband to 500,000 premises across 51 towns.

The facts are that the National Broadband Plan has been a catalyst in driving commercial operators in their deployment of high speed broadband to the extent that today almost 7 out of 10 premises now have access to high speed broadband.  This figure will rise to nearly 8 out 10 premises by 2018 and 9 out of 10 by 2020.  In the last 6 months there has been a 150% increase in the number of pure fibre connections. 

I am confident that the combination of existing commercial investment and the State intervention will make Ireland an exemplar in Europe and beyond, in terms of providing high speed services to all citizens regardless of where they live or work.