Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 34: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which broadband has been provided countrywide to date; the extent to which the programme is in line with projections; when he expects targets to be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8357/05]

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 38: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans to enhance the availability of e-technology to both the business and domestic sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8343/05]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 44: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his Department intends to issue tenders for public private partnerships to part finance the roll out of broadband to every single home and business in the State given the success of such initiatives in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8196/05]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 46: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which state-of-the-art communications technology is currently available or will be soon available in all areas throughout the country; the region or regions most deficient in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8315/05]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 51: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Ireland's position in the European league in respect of broadband provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8355/05]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 52: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the way in which it is intended to improve Ireland's position relative to other European countries in the area of telecommunications, with particular reference to the need to meet the ongoing demands of the domestic and business sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8312/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 113: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the way in which he proposes to ensure that telecommunication services here in terms of costs and effectiveness are on a par with those available in other jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8520/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 122: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has satisfied himself that sufficient competition has been generated in the provision of broadband facilities nationwide to meet the desired requirements and objectives; if he intends to issue any directives in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8531/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 124: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has satisfied himself that the proper climate exists for the development of competition in the provision of modern telecommunications facilities with particular reference to broadband and mobile and fixed line telephone technology services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8533/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 38, 44, 46, 51, 52, 113, 122 and 124 together.

The provision of broadband facilities is a matter in the first instance for the private sector telecommunications companies operating in a fully liberalised market. A number of factors determine where and when broadband services are offered in any area, including the potential number of customers, the level of investment required, and so on.

My Department's regional broadband programme is addressing the infrastructure deficit, in co-operation with the local and regional authorities. The programme is building high-speed open access broadband networks in almost 120 cities and towns that will be used by private sector companies to offer services at competitive prices.

A significant feature of the programme is the type of technology used in the metropolitan area networks, MANs. The MANs are fibre based, offering speeds and capacity many thousands of times greater than those available over the copper telephone networks. The MANs are being built in association with the local and regional authorities and will remain in State ownership, which is an important consideration for the future. Nineteen MANs have now been completed on time and on budget, and a further seven are under construction. A number of the completed MANs are already carrying commercial traffic.

For smaller towns and rural communities my Department also administers the county and group broadband scheme, under which grant aid of up to 55% of set-up costs is available. The programme is driven by the broadband needs of the community, and addresses those needs by funding the most appropriate broadband technology for each particular application. We are also rolling broadband out to all schools in the country by the end of 2005. This involves 4,200 schools and 4,200 communities.

My Department supports multiple technology solutions and choice in carrier and technology. Although more than 86% of Irish broadband customers use digital subscriber lines, not every telephone line is suitable for this technology, and in such cases another technology must be considered, such as wireless, satellite or cable. The programme will therefore promote the roll out of a range of broadband services by a variety of service providers in those areas that would otherwise go unserved by the private sector alone.

There are 1.4 million fixed-line telephone consumers in Ireland. We estimate that there are now in excess of 130,000 true broadband consumers, which is almost 9% market penetration. This is up from around 1,000 in March 2003. The latest figures from the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, indicate that 40% of Irish homes have a personal computer, compared with the EU-15 average of 45%, and 40% of Irish homes have access to the Internet. By the end of March 2005 Eircom expects to have over 80% population coverage for DSL, and the company aims to have 90% of their lines DSL-enabled by March 2006.

The incontrovertible facts are that we are the lowest cost country in the OECD for international broadband; our regional broadband pricing is now on a par with the best in Europe — after Government intervention — and the price of the basic broadband package is at the EU average. Ireland is also the fastest growing broadband economy in the EU.

There are 45 different broadband offerings across a variety of technologies. In essence, there are broadband technologies to reach any broadband consumer in Ireland right now. I believe that the industry target should be 500,000 real broadband consumers by the end of 2006. That represents more than one third of the telecommunications market. Internet penetration will continue to grow because broadband is not the only means of accessing the Internet.

The Government's broadband target is to be in the top half of EU countries by the end of 2007. That means a market penetration rate of in the region of 14%. That target is within early reach.