Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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589. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if fibre broadband will be extended to a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53591/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector so that today over 67% of the 2.3m premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. This is set to increase to 77% (1.8m premises) by the end of 2018 and to 90% (2.1m premises) by the end of 2020. In April I published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie.This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area under the National Broadband Plan (NBP).

The Map is colour coded and searchable by address/eircode:

- The  AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.

- The BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.

- The Light BLUE areas represent eir's commercial rural deployment plans to roll out high speed broadband to 300,000 premises by the end of 2018 as part of an Agreement signed with me in April.

In the absence of a specific eircode for the premises referenced by the Deputy, my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map shows that there are 65 premises in the townland of Crohane (Ed Aghadoe), Co Kerry of which 21 premises fall within the AMBER area and will require State Intervention. The remaining 44 premises fall within the LIGHT BLUE area and are to be covered by eir's planned rural deployment. Individuals can check whether their premises is in an AMBER, BLUE or LIGHT BLUE area by accessing the High Speed Broadband Map and entering their Eircode at www.broadband.gov.ie. Information on eir's planned rural deployment is available from eir at http://fibrerollout.ie/eircode-lookup/. 

My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. That procurement process is now at an advanced stage. The “Detailed Solutions” submitted by two bidders on 26 September are being evaluated by the NBP specialist team. The next stage in the procurement process is the receipt of final tenders followed by the appointment of a preferred bidder(s) and contract signature.  I recognise the importance of availability of high speed connectivity for all premises in Ireland and the frustration for communities that do not currently have access to this level of connectivity. Delivering connectivity to the 542,000 premises (including the 21 premises in Crohane (Ed Aghadoe))  that fall within the State led intervention under the NBP remains a Government priority and my Department will engage with the winning bidder(s) to ensure the most efficient deployment as part of the contract.

As part of this procurement process, the bidder(s) will be required to submit their strategies, including timescales, for the network build and roll-out. My Department will engage with the winning bidder(s) to ensure the most efficient deployment as part of the contract.

Any customer across Ireland who experiences difficulties with  lack of phone service in their area including the townland of Crohane, should raise the matter with the service provider in the first instance. If this fails to resolve matters, customers can and should refer a complaint to ComReg, which will investigate the service provider's compliance with its contractual obligations.

However, notwithstanding the independence of ComReg, I recognise the frustration experienced across Ireland where telecommunications networks are not always delivering the services people expect. In July 2016, I established the Mobile phone and Broadband Task force to identify how better services could be provided to consumers prior to the full build and roll-out of the network planned under the State led intervention under the NBP. The work of the Mobile and Phone Broadband Task force will continue to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.

Under this Task force, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen.  These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. There is a link to a list of these local Broadband Officers on my Department's website.