Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I thank Deputy Michael McCarthy for giving me the opportunity to respond on this important matter.

Deputy McCarthy will be aware that the electronic communications market here is a fully liberalised market and regulated by the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The provision and quality of electronic communications services, including broadband, is a matter for private sector service providers, regulated and licensed by ComReg. The State is not a service provider in the telecoms market and tends to intervene only in cases of demonstrated market failure. Under one such intervention, the Government's regional broadband programme, there were a total of 11 MANs built in County Cork covering 15 towns, including the four towns that are Deputy McCarthy's immediate concern, Skibbereen, Bantry, Dunmanway and Kinsale.

The MANs are operated and managed on behalf of the State by a managed services entity, MSE, e|net, a Limerick based company. Three of the MANs in west Cork were handed over to e|net in 2010. The Kinsale MAN will be completed this year and handed over to e|net on completion. I have been advised by e|net that the Bantry MAN is now active and that the MAN in Dunmanway is expected to be live in the next month or so. While the Skibbereen MAN is available for use, it does not have connections. E|net is in active discussions with local business representatives with the aim of stimulating demand for MAN-based services.

The demand for services in a MAN town is the primary factor for e|net to consider when deciding to connect a MAN to a backhaul service. To commit to the significant cost of a backhaul connection, e|net must be confident that there is sufficient demand on the MAN to justify the costs. Businesses that wish to connect to a MAN can do so by contacting e|net, who will then meet with the business to discuss the type of services required.

In addition to the MANs programme, the national broadband scheme, NBS, is another example of targeted State intervention in the telecoms market. The NBS network is now complete and services have been available in all 1,028 designated electoral divisions since October 2010. I am pleased to say that all premises located within the 96 designated electoral divisions in County Cork can now avail of NBS services.

I envisage that greater use will be made of the MANs in the coming years to provide bigger broadband to more businesses and citizens. I should highlight that it is important to understand the long-term nature of the MANs investment. The MANs significantly enhance the productive capacity of the local economies in which they were built. While the networks will be available for generations to come, and facilitate digital-based business of the future, they may not be used immediately, but they are available and are already playing a part in helping this country to meet its targets under the European Union's Digital Agenda for Europe. I would welcome any initiatives that lead to greater use of the MANs in Cork and nationally.

The Government accepts that the widespread availability of high-speed broadband is a key requirement in delivering future economic and social development. With basic broadband services available across the country, the challenge now is to accelerate the roll-out of high speed services.

I chair the next generation broadband task force. The task force is currently considering how best to facilitate the roll-out of next generation broadband throughout the country, which reflects a commitment under the NewERA proposals in the programme for Government. The task force will conclude its deliberations shortly. It is my intention to consider the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the report of the task force and to move quickly thereafter to put in place the optimal policy environment for the delivery of high-speed broadband and thereby assist in delivering on the commitment in the programme for Government.

The Acting Chairman, Deputy Tuffy, was present on Monday when I had the pleasure of announcing the roll-out of high-speed industrial strength broadband to every second-level school. On this occasion it did not include Cork South-West but it will next time around. The first 200 schools will be connected up along the north-west coast in 2012.

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