James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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1031. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding broadband access at a location (details supplied) in County Wexford to encourage remote working; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35559/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The premises referred to by the Deputy is in the AMBER area on the High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ieand is therefore included in the State Intervention Area under the National Broadband Plan.

My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company who will roll out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. That procurement process is in its closing stages.

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.

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. The Department of Rural and Community Development maintain a list of Broadband Officers, a link to which is available on my Department's website at