Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

590. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if a company (details supplied) is eligible to apply for the tender for broadband connection points. [47559/19]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government has today signed the contract for the delivery of the National Broadband Plan in areas of the country where it is not viable to deploy high-speed broadband on a purely commercial basis.

The delivery of the National Broadband Plan will be a game-changer for rural Ireland. Access to high-speed broadband will have a powerful, transformative effect on the lives of people and communities in rural areas and will provide businesses with opportunities to create new jobs and to access new markets.

Over the next year, high-speed broadband will be provided at more than 300 Broadband Connection Points in remote and rural areas across the country. These community settings such as GAA clubs, community centres and public libraries will provide a free broadband service to people living in rural areas while they await the arrival of a high-speed connection to their own premises.

The provision of retail connectivity and services will be sourced through the normal public procurement process and will be announced via eTenders in due course.