Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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177. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the timeline for when a universal service obligation scheme will be introduced in respect of the provision of high speed, next-generation broadband; the form this scheme will take; how this scheme will be funded; if all applicable broadband operators will be eligible and or required to participate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3858/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The European Electronic Communications Code(“the Code”) requires Member States to ensure the availability of an adequate broadband internet access service at an affordable price. These provisions will be transposed in the European Union (Electronic Communications Code) Regulations 2022, which were signed in September 2022 and will commence in tandem with the Communications RegulationBill, which is currently progressing through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Work on planning for the implementation of these Regulations, as they pertain to the universal service obligations, has recently commenced, however at this juncture, it would be premature to provide information on definitive timelines for the roll out of the universal service obligations in the state.

The Code requires that when designating an undertaking to provide a universal service, the procedure must be effective, objective, transparent and non-discriminatory and that no undertaking is a priori excluded from being designated. ComReg will be responsible for designating undertakings to provide a universal service for adequate broadband internet access service.

Should ComReg determine that the provision of the universal service by a designated undertaking represents an unfair burden, compensation may be sought by the designated undertaking. This can be paid for using public funds, through the imposition of a sharing mechanism whereby the providers of electronic communications networks and services contribute to the cost of the universal service or through a combination of these options.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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178. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the total number of premises which currently have broadband download speeds of between 30 Mbps to 100 Mbps and which are outside the National Broadband Plan intervention area, and in circumstances where commercial operators have indicated they do not intend to roll-out to some or all of these areas or individual premises; if his Department has a plan to ensure that these premises can access a minimum of 100 Mbps; if so, the form such a plan will take; the timelines for execution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3859/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The latest Quarterly Key Data Report (QKDR) for Q3 2022 was published by ComReg on 8 December 2022 and reported that there are 1.6 million fixed broadband subscriptions in Ireland. 88.6% of all fixed broadband subscriber lines had been sold speeds which were equal to or greater than 30Mbps.

In December 2022 my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:

- all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028;

- all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, and

- digital connectivity will be delivered to all schools and broadband connection points by 2023.

Through commercial investment, complemented by the State through the National Broadband Plan all premises will have access to high-speed broadband in every part of the country no matter how remote. The Government remains committed to the roll out the National Broadband Plan and is ensuring an agile and responsive approach to the delivery of this key large scale project with €2.7 billion committed to the Plan in what is a constantly evolving environment.

Since contract award over 20,000 additional premises have been added to the Intervention Area, 85% of which are new builds (AMBER premises) and approximately 15% are premises that will not in fact be served by commercial operators and which have now been reclassified. The contract caters for the inclusion of new buildings over the life of the programme. Since the contract was signed, the Intervention Area has increased to over 566k premises and continues to grow each quarter, primarily to ensure the inclusion of new build premises.