Sinn Féin spokesperson for Communications Brian Stanley TD, spoke today after Minister Denis Naughten announced that Eir would expand Broadband service to the easy to reach properties within the National Broadband Plan state intervention area.
Deputy Stanley stated:
“While we welcome the expansion of broadband services in Ireland, a number of concerns have been raised about the future of the 540,000 premises remaining in the intervention area.
“I have previously raised concerns around these issues directly to the Minister in the Dáil.
“We have a situation now where one of bidders for procurement on the National Broadband Plan has cherrypicked locations in the intervention area to deliver broadband only where it is commercially profitable.
“This could lead to a situation where some of the remaining harder to reach areas of the country are left without broadband connection as it becomes commercially unappealing for any bidder to deliver high speed broadband to the more remote areas of the country.
“The Minister must ensure that private commercial interests to not jeopardise roll out of the National Broadband Plan.
“The timeline for completion of the procurement process has still not been confirmed. This process has been subject to multiple delays and we are still no closer to finding out when roll out to the intervention areas will commence.”
