Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if, in respect of every town here, he will provide information regarding the service provider; the level of provision; the percentage of lines which are suitable for DSL; the average operating cost for small business and the level of competition; the percentage of request for broadband rejected countrywide due to lines not being suitable or exchanges not being DSL enabled with respect to access to broadband Internet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12415/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of telecommunications, including broadband, is a matter in the first instance for the private sector companies operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The most recent figures from the commission indicate that there are now in excess of 140,000 broadband customers, which is almost 9% market penetration as measured on the basis of fixed telephone lines. For comparison, the January 2004 figure was 35,000.

According to the ComReg website www.comreg.ie there are over 45 different broadband offerings across a variety of technologies, including DSL, fibre, cable, leased lines and satellite technology. In essence, there are broadband technologies that can deliver broadband to any broadband customer in Ireland right now. There are now over 130 companies listed by ComReg as Internet service providers.

Costs for broadband in Ireland compare favourably with the EU average; competition in the market is an operational matter for the regulator.

The rate of uptake is dependent on access by the service providers to suitable infrastructure. Because the level of investment by the sector in high-speed broadband infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the demand for broadband, my Department is addressing the infrastructure deficit, in co-operation with the local and regional authorities, by building high-speed open access fibre-based metropolitan area networks, MANs, in 120 towns and cities nationwide, using ERDF and Government funding under the NDP 2000-2006. Full details of my Department's regional broadband programme can be found on www.dcmnr.gov.ie.

The percentage of telephone lines which are suitable for DSL is an operational matter for Eircom and the regulator, and I have no function in the matter. I understand, however, that Eircom plans to extend DSL broadband access to 90% of the country by March 2006. I have set the industry a target of 500,000 broadband customers by the end of 2006.

The Government's broadband target is to be within the top half of EU countries by the end of 2007. That means a market penetration of around 14% of the overall population, which I feel is within reach.

Joe Walsh (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans to further roll-out the metropolitan area network to additional towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12517/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The MANs programme is being rolled out on a phased basis, and the 19 networks completed to date have come in on time and within budget. Work is currently under way on seven MANs, and construction of a further 82 will commence during the next 12 months.

Under the county and group broadband scheme, smaller towns and rural communities can avail of grant funding of up to 55% of set-up costs to enable them to become self-sufficient in broadband, using the most suitable technology for their area. The objective of the county and group broadband scheme is to promote the roll-out of broadband access through the establishment of sustainable broadband services in towns, villages, rural hinterlands and under-served areas of larger towns on the basis of local and regional authority co-ordination and community driven initiatives. The scheme is open to all smaller and rural communities of less than 1,500 people. It enables local communities to draw up and implement their own broadband plans either on their own, or in partnership with broadband Internet service providers. A total of 34 group schemes have been approved to date.

Under the €18 million schools broadband access programme, jointly funded by the Department of Education and Science, my Department, and the Telecommunications and Internet Federation, every one of the 4,200 primary and post-primary schools in the country will be provided with broadband by the end of this year.

Full details of the regional broadband programme, the county and group broadband scheme and the schools broadband access programme can be found on my Department's website www.dcmnr.gov.ie.