Minister provides update on US to Mayo subsea fibre optic lines

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Richard Bruton has provided an update on the two subsea fibre optic cables being put in place between the US and Mayo.

When asked in Dàil Èireann if his department planned to use the cables to roll out broadband to the west of Ireland, he said they were telecommunications infrastructures operated by commericial companies in a liberalised market  - and his department had no function in this area.

Two cables are being put in place, one between the US and Killala, known as Emerald Express (AEC 1) and another between the US and Old Head in Louisburgh (Havfure, AEC 2), the latter of which will link into northern Europe and be operational by the end of 2019.

"The combined facilities will create a resilient, ring-fenced infrastructure between the United States, Ireland and Europe," added Minister Bruton.