Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the timeframe and manner in which all of Ireland will be enabled for Wi-Fi broadband access; if he sees a role for Irish local authorities to deploy broadband radio networks based on the 802.11 or Wi-Fi radio standard using mesh technology to like multiple hot spots in view of the success of a similar programme by US local authorities. [21767/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of broadband services is a matter for the fully liberalised private sector, regulated by ComReg, the independent Commission for Communications Regulation. ComReg is also responsible for the issuing of fixed wireless access local area, FWALA, licences.

Digital subscriber line, DSL, is the most popular broadband delivery platform in Ireland, with over 84% of broadband customers using this technology. There are, however, limitations to the delivery of broadband by DSL, such as distance from a telephone exchange and line quality, so other delivery platforms such as fixed wireless, optic fibre, satellite and cable modems each have a part to play in the rollout of broadband.

The 120 metropolitan area networks being built by my Department, in association with the local and regional authorities, are optic fibre based and offer the telecommunications sector open access. The broadband delivery method chosen by a service provider is a matter of choice, depending on market conditions and individual customer's needs.

The use of fixed wireless local access is increasing, and a number of companies already offer broadband access using this technology. Wi-Fi is also gaining in popularity and is already on offer in selected locations. Market forces will determine if and when Wi-Fi is offered in a given area.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the proportion of local exchanges which will be enabled for broadband access by the end of 2005, by the end of 2006 and by mid-2007. [21768/05]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of businesses and the number of households which had broadband access on 1 January 2005, 1 April 2005, and 1 June 2005; the projections for the number of businesses and the number of households which will have this access on 1 September 2005, 1 January 2006, 1 July 2006 and 1 Jan 2007 and 1 July 2007. [21772/05]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 111: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of businesses and the number of households which had broadband access in January and July 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004; the proportion of the number of businesses and the number of households these figures represent. [21773/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 110 and 111 together.

Historical data on total broadband subscribers in Ireland, as supplied to the European Commission by the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, is available from the following link:

http://europa.eu.int/information_society/topics/ ecomm/doc/all_about/implementation_ enforcement/broadband/broadband_data_ 01012005.pdf

I understand from ComReg that there were over 138,000 broadband subscribers in January 2005. The figure had risen to over 152,000 by 30 March 2005, however, figures for 1 June 2005 are not yet publicly available.

Questions relating to the enabling of telephone exchanges for broadband are operational matters for Eircom. However, I understand that the company has announced that it had over 140,000 working DSL lines by 27 May 2005 and aims to have 90% of lines broadband enabled by March 2006.

ComReg does not have projections for broadband take-up. However, Eircom has stated that it aims to have 500,000 DSL subscribers by December 2007. This is equivalent to 30% of households in Ireland. While DSL will continue to be the dominant broadband delivery platform for the foreseeable future, the rollout of fixed wireless access networks under ComReg's fixed wireless access local area, FWALA, scheme is a development that will help stimulate platform competition which is crucial to increasing broadband penetration in Ireland in the coming years.