Written answers

Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Telecommunications Services

Photo of Joe CooneyJoe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1339. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when a broadband connection will be restored for a person (details supplied); the reason for this disconnection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41668/25]

Photo of Patrick O'DonovanPatrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland.

The mapping consultation between fixed line operators and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications was concluded in 2019.

As part of this mapping consultation the three large, fixed line operators (Open Eir, Virgin Media and Siro) were asked to submit their current High-Speed Broadband (HSBB) coverage maps and potential future maps for HSBB. At the time HSBB was defined as a fixed line technology that could deliver 30Mbps or greater download speed and 6Mbps or greater upload speed.

Resulting from the analysis of this data, the NBI network is deployed to premises in the Intervention Area (IA) where HSBB was not going to be delivered by commercial operators.

I am advised that this area in question is predominantly in the BLUE area on the map, which represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services.

As per records available online at the premises in question has been included in Open Eir’s Full Fibre deployment programme which provides a full fibre Gigabit connection. However, the build process has not yet commenced.

I have been advised that the premises’ owner has raised a query via the Department’s webform detailing issues they are currently experiencing. Following this contact my department's representatives have escalated the issue for review. This review is ongoing and the premises' owner has been advised that when the review is complete, they will be notified accordingly.

The activities of commercial operators are not planned or funded by the State and the Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard. ComReg is the independent body that issues licenses to broadband service providers and investigates complaints to make sure that companies are delivering services in line with their license obligations.

ComReg can be contacted at:

Phone - 01 804 9668

Online - www.comreg.ie

Email - consumerline@comreg.ie

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.