Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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255. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the procurement process will be finalised for the NBP and a contractor appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2395/18]

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 and 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. 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 under the NBP. That procurement process is now at an advanced stage. 

The "Detailed Solutions” submitted by two bidders last September are being evaluated by the NBP specialist team. This is the last stage of the procurement process before moving to the final tender stage, which will be followed by the appointment of a preferred bidder(s) and contract signature.

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