Written answers

Wednesday, 29 June 2005

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Telecommunications Services

10:00 pm

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the proportion of local exchanges in County Clare which will be enabled for broadband access by the end of 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22987/05]

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of businesses and the number of households in County Clare which had broadband access on 1 April 2005; the projections for the number of businesses and the number of households which will have this access on 1 January 2005 and 1 January 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22988/05]

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together.

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 independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The latest data on total broadband subscribers in Ireland is provided by the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, and is available from the following link, http://www.comreg.ie/publications/default.asp?ctype=5&nid=101985.

Questions relating to the enabling of telephone exchanges for broadband are operational matters for Eircom. I have no function in these matters. However, I understand that the company has announced that it had more than 140,000 working DSL lines by 27 May 2005 and aims to have 90% of lines broadband enabled by March 2006.

I understand from ComReg that there were more than 138,000 broadband subscribers in January 2005. The figure had risen to more than 152,000 by 30 March 2005. ComReg may have data available to show the broadband figures by county.

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