Update: Provision of Broadband, 24th June 2015

*  To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the provision of modern high speed broadband in all areas throughout the country, urban and rural; if he has identified any particular issues which might impede the provision of such technology in the foreseeable future; when he expects quality and standard here to compare and compete with the best in Europe and worldwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. – Bernard J. Durkan.

(1296  Received on 11th June, 2015.)

REPLY

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Alex White)
The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a partnership between Government and commercial telecommunications companies.

The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades and enhanced services with approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next 18 months. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available to consumers, with high speed services now already available to approximately 1.2m addresses. This commercial investment will be complemented by the State intervention for non-commercial areas and by ensuring that every premises in Ireland has access to at least 30mbps by 2020, the National Broadband will position Ireland strongly in Europe and elsewhere, in terms of having high speed broadband available to every citizen and business regardless of location.