Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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61. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the roll-out of rural high speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37512/18]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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63. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the ongoing provision of broadband in all areas throughout the country; if the programme is in accordance with his expectations or otherwise; if the development is proceeding effectively and efficiently; when he expects all of the country to have ready access to high quality, high speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37531/18]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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74. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the national broadband plan; when he expects it to be signed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37623/18]

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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85. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the target of having high speed broadband in each premises in the country as stated in the Action Plan for Rural Development and the national broadband plan will be met. [25908/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 61, 63, 74 and 85 together.

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, which is pillar 5 of the Action Plan for Rural Ireland, 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.

In April 2017 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.

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. This process is now in its final 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 .