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Third year of Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce sees further progress
Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for Community Development, Natural Resources and Digital Development, today (Thursday 23 May) welcomed the publication of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce Quarterly Progress Report for Q1 2019.
The Taskforce is made up of senior officials from a number of Government Departments, Statutory Agencies and Local Government and engages with representatives of the telecommunications industry. Chaired by Minister Canney, the Taskforce was established to identify and address barriers to improved mobile phone and broadband services in areas with poor connectivity ahead of the roll out of the National Broadband Plan.
Minister Canney explained that the Taskforce has spent the last three years working on initiatives that will have a significant impact on the National Broadband Plan:
“It is important that people understand that while work to build the network will start once the contract has been signed, it will not be from a standing start. Much has been done over the last three years by the Taskforce to prepare for the roll out of the Plan.”
Preparatory works include:
“The work of Taskforce is very broad, but it has had profound effects,” said Minister Canney. “For instance, the appointment of Local Authority Broadband Officers was one of the first recommendations of the Taskforce. Broadband Officers are now in place and they are consistently identified by the public and telecoms operators as the single most important development in recent years.”
Broadband Officers have local, expert knowledge and are supported in their work by dedicated liaison officers at the Department of Rural and Community Development. The Department has also provided €42,000 to each Local Authority towards salary costs. Broadband Officers are also supported by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment which recognises the centrality of the role to a successful National Broadband Plan roll-out.
Since the Taskforce’s establishment, it has addressed over 60 actions and continues to focus on issues that are impacting upon the rollout of telecommunications infrastructure in rural areas. Over 30 new actions are contained in the 2019 Work Programme for delivery this year. Recent developments include:
Mobile phone coverage
Broadband Coverage
Speaking about his role as Chairperson of the Taskforce, Minister Canney said:
“I am in a unique position as I work across both the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Department of Communications, Climate Change and Environment. I’m also a resident of rural Ireland. This allows me an overarching view of both the high-level policy issues, but also the real-world impact of the Taskforce’s work.
“I have seen at first-hand the difference that enthusiastic cooperation and collaboration can make to solving complex issues. More areas now have mobile phone coverage, more people have access to high-speed broadband and the Taskforce has helped to make that happen. We look forward to the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan and will continue preparing the way for this vital new infrastructure.”
For further information please contact:
The Department of Rural and Community Development Press Office
076-1006843 / 086 791 2704
The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce is a cross-governmental initiative. The organisations represented in the Taskforce are:
The work of the Taskforce is supported by ongoing engagement with Ibec on behalf of the Telecommunications Industry.