Written answers

Tuesday, 25 May 2021

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

National Broadband Plan

Photo of Peter BurkePeter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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77. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of a broadband connection for a location (details supplied). [27964/21]

Photo of Ossian SmythOssian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The premises referred to 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.From an initial check by my Department the indications are that this premises should have access to high speed broadband from commercial service providers with download speeds of up to 70 Mbps. The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services. 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. 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.

Complaints about service provision are a matter between the consumer and the service provider in the first instance. If this avenue has been exhausted without a satisfactory resolution, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) may be able to assist further. ComReg is the independent body that issues licences to broadband service providers and investigates complaints to make sure that companies are delivering services in line with their licence obligations.

In the event that, having exhausted the above options, a premises located in the BLUE area still cannot get high speed broadband from service providers in the area, they should contact my Department at broadband@decc.gov.ie with full details and the matter will be investigated by my officials.

Photo of Pádraig O'SullivanPádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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78. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the case of persons (details supplied) will be expedited with regard to obtaining an eircode given the fact that these persons have been waiting a substantial period of time for same. [28045/21]

Photo of Hildegarde NaughtonHildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Capita Business Support Services Ireland, trading as Eircode, assigns Eircodes to new property addresses using a valid postal address and verified geo-locations. An Post collects information on new and existing buildings, as well as changes to existing addresses and Ordnance Survey Ireland provides the geo-locations for these buildings. An Post GeoDirectory, a subsidiary company of An Post and Ordnance Survey Ireland, issue a new release of the GeoDirectory database file on a quarterly basis to Eircode in accordance with their licence agreement. Each new postal address assigned an Eircode is published on the free to use Eircode Finder website, a notification letter is issued to the property occupant containing the Eircode of that address and an updated Eircode Database is provided to licensed businesses for their use. Eircode have informed my Department that over 141,000 property addresses have been assigned an Eircode since the launch in 2015.

Eircode has advised my officials that they have raised a case with An Post GeoDirectory in relation to this address and my officials have requested Eircode to liaise directly with the individual in question regarding the assignment of an Eircode for this property address.

Early assignment of Eircodes is contingent on An Post facilitating the increased frequency of new and changed addresses in the GeoDirectory database from quarterly to monthly to Eircode through their subsidiary An Post GeoDirectory. My officials are working with An Post, Ordnance Survey Ireland, An Post GeoDirectory and Eircode to expedite the process of assigning Eircodes for new properties with postal addresses and geo-locations.

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