Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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164. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update as to when an area in Tralee (details supplied) will get broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24143/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The estate 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.

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. Under State aid rules, my Department is not permitted to displace commercial investment by intervening in areas where commercial investment exists or is planned, as to do so would be an infringement of these State aid rules. 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. I understand that the estate in question can currently avail of 80Mbps broadband from a number of retail service providers.

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 namely:

* 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.

The majority of digital connectivity across the State will be delivered through commercial investment by the telecommunications industry and this will be complemented by the National Broadband Plan.