Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position in regard to broadband for Hacketstown, County Carlow; if it will be rolled out as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17452/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of telecommunications services, 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, the independent regulator.

There are several service providers who offer DSL broadband in the Hacketstown area. Full details of these can be found on my Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie including contact details, service levels on offer and costs. DSL broadband is always marketed subject to line survey and availability and, where a telephone line cannot carry the service, other technologies must be considered, such as wireless, satellite or cable modem. A full list of service providers is available from the website www.comreg.ie .

My Department's regional broadband programme is addressing the infrastructure deficit by building metropolitan area networks in all the regional towns of 1,500 population and above that do not have a satisfactory broadband service, including Muine Bheag and Tullow in County Carlow. For rural communities and smaller towns, such as Hacketstown, my Department offers funding under the county and group broadband scheme to enable these communities to become self sufficient in broadband, in association with the service providers, using the most suitable technology for the area.

Full details of the scheme, including application procedures, are on the website www.gbs.gov.ie , and although the most recent call for proposals has closed, applications are still being accepted by my Department. The regional co-ordinator for the county and group broadband scheme is Mary Wixted, who may be contacted at the South East Regional Authority's offices at 1 Gladstone Street, Clonmel, telephone 052 26200.