Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

543. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of premises that will not be provided with fibre connections under the national broadband plan; and the alternatives that will be provided for these premises. [22000/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland has access to high speed broadband. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment across the country, and a State intervention in those areas where commercial operators acting alone are unlikely to invest. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. In 2012, less than 700,000, or 30% of Irish premises had access to high speed broadband. Today, 74% of the 2.4 million premises in Ireland can access high speed broadband.

The National Broadband Plan intervention is the subject of the procurement process to engage a company to build, operate and maintain the NBP State intervention network. Following rigorous evaluation by my Department, I recently brought a recommendation to Government to confer Preferred Bidder status on Granahan McCourt, the remaining bidder in the NBP procurement process and Government agreed to this at its meeting on 7 May.

The Government decision means that it is intended to award the State Intervention contract to National Broadband Ireland, subject to the contract close, including the finalisation of financial and legal documents. Deployment will start as soon as the contract is signed and will take 7 years.

The network to be built will provide the majority of homes and businesses with a fibre connection. A small percentage (estimated at 2% of premises in the intervention area) of remote or difficult to connect premises may be connected with alternative technology such as fixed wireless, as long as the company meets the bandwidth and performance requirements of the contract.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

544. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he plans to disclose the names of shareholders, equity owners in companies and other ownership vehicles linked to the consortium appointed as a favoured bidder in the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22001/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Granahan McCourt Dublin (Ireland) Limited and Tetrad Corporation are the investors responsible for providing all of the equity, working capital, performance related security and project deliverables.

NBI Infrastructure Limited, trading as National Broadband Ireland (NBI) is a new entity established by Granahan McCourt for the purposes of delivering the NBP. It is this company that will be the signatory to the NBP Contract.

The equity of NBI will be invested in NBI via a holding company as would be typical for projects such as this. The holding company will be wholly owned by Granahan McCourt Dublin (Ireland) Limited, subject to the Minister’s special share in NBI.

The majority (in excess of 95%) Shareholders of Granahan McCourt Dublin (Ireland) Limited are David McCourt and Walter Scott Junior whose shareholdings are held through Granahan McCourt Dublin LLC, Tetrad McCourt Investors LLC and Tetrad Corporation.