Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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309. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the date for the roll-out of high speed broadband for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29480/18]

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. Today, 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. By 2020, 9 out of 10 premises will have access to a high speed broadband connection. This is being achieved via a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention.

The premises referred to by the Deputy falls within a BLUE area on my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map available atwww.broadband.gov.ieand is within the area targeted for delivery of high speed broadband by commercial operators. While telecommunications companies operate in a liberalised market and I have no statutory authority to intervene in their day to day operations, my Department is collating information in relation to cases/areas where commercial plans to provide access to high speed broadband to premises have not materialised. In this regard, where a premises situated in a BLUE area is unable to obtain a high speed broadband service I encourage customers to contact my Department directly at broadband@dccae.gov.iewith details - quoting their address, eircode and fixed line telephone number (if available) and details of operators they have contacted with a view to obtaining a broadband service. This information assists my Department in identifying areas for further focus and facilitates engagement with telecommunication operators on this issue.  My Department is aware that there are premises in the townland of Ringmeen that do not appear to have access to a high speed broadband service from a commercial provider, including the premises referenced by the Deputy, even though they are in a Blue area on the High Speed Broadband Map, and my Department is investigating this matter.  

For those premises currently awaiting access to high speed broadband, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services. My officials have carried out a desk top survey of the premises in Ringmeen and have determined that there are 4G options (eir mobile and 3 Ireland) by means of the 4G antennas in the Ferryport at Ringaskiddy some 1500 metres away.  This is an alternative option while commercial plans materialise

Under this Taskforce, 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 at .