Sherlock demands answers on Cobh broadband

Cork East TD Seán Sherlock demanded answers on the convoluted situation Cobh people find themselves in on obtaining broadband last night in a Dáil debate on the issue.

“We all have testimonials from constituents,” said Deputy Sherlock.

“I fear for the people who will not be covered by the national broadband plan and are not covered as part of the 300,000 but are deemed to have coverage as we stand here tonight. In his speech on 4 December 2018, the Minister stated that 674 national schools in the State intervention would be covered by the national broadband plan but I have examples of situations in places like Cobh. I will use the example of Cobh as an articulation of other towns in my constituency. When people in Rushbrooke approached Eir for coverage for the school, they were told that it could not be provided even though Eir is saying it is providing coverage in the area. When one individual approached Open Eir on foot of advice from ComReg, Open Eir said that the person was not a wholesale customer and, therefore, Open Eir could not provide the person with high-speed fibre even though fibre is being provided in the area. I fear for those people, clubs and schools who will not be covered by the national broadband plan and who are deemed to be serviced currently but who are told by a provider when they approach it that it cannot provide them with the fibre they seek. What becomes of them when the national broadband plan is announced because there is clear evidence in places like Cobh on Great Island where Eir and other providers are providing but are not providing at an expectation that is commensurate with the times in which we live given the capacity that is there to provide “X” number of gigabits for an average household?”

“What will happen to those people who it could argued are being discriminated against because of that active market failure? I received an email from an individual who told me that when they asked Eir, which was their current broadband supplier, about fibre broadband, they were told to talk to Open Eir, which will not talk to the individual because they are a non-wholesale customer. The individual told me that they had been previously been with Sky and Three but these companies are dependent on Open Eir putting down the fibre broadband and do not appear able or willing to advance the project.”

“There are still major gaps in the market. I am not sure what role ComReg is playing in addressing the market failure that exists throughout the country regarding those areas that will not be covered by the national broadband plan.”

“The Minister must answer if it is still the case that we might not have a national broadband plan on the basis of figures that may or may not have been presented to the Minister – assessments of cost that may make it too prohibitive if it runs into billions of euro – and whether or not that is part of the Minister’s assessment that is underway in terms of kicking the tyres on the proposal before us. If a price is agreed, what is to stop Granahan McCourt and co. from coming back and holding us all to ransom, telling us through the tender process that it is not able to roll out the plan at the cost it will agree and having us over a barrel for an additional payment? This has already happened in this State with countless numbers of projects so there are still serious questions to be answered.”

The Minister did not respond to the debate after his initial contribution at the start.