Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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77. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress made on the roll-out of the national broadband plan. [14224/19]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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82. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when it is expected that a decision will be made regarding the national broadband scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14144/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 82 together.

The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention.

The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. In 2012, less than 700,000, or 30% of all 2.4 million Irish premises had access to high speed broadband. Today, 74% of premises can access high speed broadband.

In April 2017 my Department published an updated High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at . 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. The Map is colour coded and searchable by address or Eircode.

The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage and I will bring a recommendation to Government in the coming weeks.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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78. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the commitment to provide high-speed broadband to all houses and businesses in County Donegal; the deadline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14010/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland has access to high speed broadband.

Since December 2015, the number of premises with access to high-speed broadband in Donegal has increased by 16,964, a 16% increase. In total, the number of premises in Donegal with access to high speed broadband is now 65,212, which equates to 64% all premises in the county. Another 2,511 will be served by eir under that company’s ongoing rural deployment of a high speed broadband network.

The remaining 34,107 homes, schools and businesses in Donegal will receive access to high speed broadband under the Government’s National Broadband Plan.

In April 2017 my Department 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. The Map is colour coded and searchable by address or Eircode.

The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage. I will bring a recommendation to Government in the coming weeks.