Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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25. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when Eir will undertake the necessary upgrades to the local cabinet point in the Knapton, York Road area in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, which is the only cabinet point out of the four cabinet points in the area that is not fibre enabled, in order that fibre optic internet can be accessed in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31806/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Providing telecommunication services, including mobile phone and broadband services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg), as independent Regulator. I do not have statutory authority to require commercial companies to rollout services and make specific investments in particular locations.

As set out in the Programme for Government, ensuring access to high-quality internet connections for people across Ireland is essential to the development of all parts of our country, socially and economically.

Since 2016, the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce has been a driving force for improving access to telecommunications services nationwide. It has completed over 70 targeted actions to alleviate connectivity barriers, and continues to tackle issues impeding the rollout of essential infrastructure. The Taskforce will continue its work in the context of its inclusion in the Programme for Government, in ensuring access to high quality telecommunications connectivity across Ireland to support social and economic development.

The area mentioned in the question is located in the BLUE area on the NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie.

BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan as commercial operators are already providing high speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. My Department defines high speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload.

The activities of commercial operators delivering high speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and my Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard. Notwithstanding this, my Department has raised a query with the relevant service provider asking when the cabinet will be commissioned and made ready with high speed broadband access. I will revert to the Deputy when I receive their update.

Our investigations have highlighted that there may be a choice of operators offering this service in the area referred to and further information in this regard is available at www.comreg.ie/compare/#/services.