Written answers

Tuesday, 5 November 2019

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Broadband Service Provision

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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868. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the provision of broadband service to an area (details supplied). [44891/19]

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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869. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the availability of broadband for a property (details supplied). [44932/19]

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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870. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the availability of fibre broadband in an area (details supplied). [44945/19]

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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871. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the availability of fibre broadband to an area (details supplied). [44947/19]

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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872. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the provision of fibre broadband to an area (details supplied). [44958/19]

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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873. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the provision of fibre broadband to an area (details supplied). [44959/19]

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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875. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the provision of fibre broadband to an area (details supplied). [44975/19]

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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878. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the availability of fibre broadband services for an area (details supplied). [44990/19]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 868 to 873, inclusive, 875 and 878 together.

Every home, farm, school and business in Ireland will have access to high speed broadband – no matter where they are located – following the Government’s decision to approve the appointment of a preferred bidder to the National Broadband Plan. Under this plan, Ireland will become one of the first countries in the world to ensure that those in rural areas have the same digital opportunities as those in urban areas.

The premises referred to by the Deputy are in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map, which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie.The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP.

Since the Government decision in May 2019 to appoint NBI as the Preferred Bidder for the National Broadband Plan contract, work has continued on the due diligence necessary to conclude the contract. This process is progressing towards contract award, which is expected before the end of the year. The network deployment will commence shortly after that.

The Bidder has indicated that the NBP State intervention will take an estimated 7 years from the beginning of deployment. A deployment plan will be made available by the Bidder once the contract is signed.

In the first year of roll out, the Bidder will deploy approximately 300 Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) across all counties. It is anticipated that between 7 and 23 BCPs will be deployed in each county. BCPs will provide a community based high speed broadband service, enhancing online participation and allowing for the establishment of digital work hubs in these locations.

The Bidder is aiming to pass 133,000 premises at the end of the second year, with 70-100,000 passed each year thereafter until roll out is completed.

Work continues on finalising the contract and in parallel to this work, I am considering the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Communications Committee report which was published recently. I will bring my deliberations of the report to Government in due course.

Photo of Kevin O'KeeffeKevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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874. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the broadband service being provided to person (details supplied) will be investigated; and when high speed broadband will be made available to this location. [44973/19]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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According to my Department’s high speed broadband map, available at , the premises referred to by the Deputy is one which is indicated as having been passed by eir as part of their rural deployment of high speed broadband. Therefore, that premises should be in a position to order a high speed broadband connection from a provider offering services on the network.

Where a premises in this situation is having difficulty getting connected, my Department's customer service team in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) Division can assist by raising a case with eir.

I advise the Deputy’s constituent to contact the NBP customer service team at broadband@dccae.gov.ie directly, providing their name, phone number, email address and Eircode, as well as details of the issues they are experiencing. My Department will then be in a position to pursue a case on their behalf with eir.

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