Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Under the national development plan we have seen unprecedented investment in both our economic and social infrastructure. To build on that we are now working on the next national development plan and have initiated a consultation process involving the same range of organisations and groups which were involved in previous plans. There must be consultation and the documents to which the Deputy referred simply advertise the fact that the Government of the day is responsible for these matters.

There was recently a full presentation to the committee on broadband services. All who spoke on that occasion said the relatively late launch of competitive broadband services in this country by telecommunications and cable TV companies resulted in a low ranking in the league tables for take-up. The Government was not satisfied with that state of affairs but significant progress has been made in the past two years and when the figures are scrutinised again, we will be able to determine the current position. It emerged from that discussion and others with chambers of commerce and IBEC that there are now no difficulties for businesses. The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources set a target in 2004 of 400,000 broadband subscribers by the end of 2006. At that time there were fewer than 100,000 subscribers. It was estimated at our last meeting that there were approximately 320,000 subscribers in the first quarter of this year, so the roll-out of the service is progressing well.

Ireland's per capita broadband penetration is now 8%, while in the EU 25 the maximum is12%. Two households in ten in Ireland have broadband by comparison with three households in ten in the other EU countries. The figure of 320,000 represents 110% growth in broadband in the past 12 months. In fairness to those involved, the figures are improving dramatically. Broadband take-up has tripled since the target was set in 2004. Ireland's broadband take-up rate is growing at more than twice that of the EU market — 110% as against 48% in the EU 25. That is understandable because of our low initial take-up. By catching up we are moving at a faster than average rate. The latest official figures from ComReg confirm that there were more than 270,000 broadband customers in the country at the end of last year.

In our liberalised and fully privatised broadband market private commercial broadband providers drive the roll-out of the service. The policies pursued by the Government increase both broadband coverage and competition in that market. Broadband is now available to approximately three quarters of the population and the Government has funded new broadband infrastructure through the national development plan, the metropolitan area networks, MANs, which the European Commission has recently endorsed, and the county and group broadband schemes. The figures are impressive. I readily admit they were slow to get started but that is being addressed. Given the number of operators in the field, the competition benefits consumers in that people get good value compared with four or five years ago.

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