Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if broadband services will be provided to rural areas due to the demand from householders and rural businesses; or if eligibility will be based on demand from particular areas by way of signed petitions. [27642/05]

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 ComReg, the commission for communications regulation.

I take it the Deputy is referring to the county and group broadband scheme, GBS. My Department is currently administering the second call for the county and group broadband scheme. This scheme is designed to promote investment in broadband access infrastructure in rural communities with populations of 1,500 or less by contributing grant aid of up to 55% of the infrastructure costs. The county and group broadband scheme is co-funded by the e-commerce and communications measures of the border, midlands and western and the southern and eastern regional operational programmes of the national development plan.

Under the second call of the GBS, a total of 119 projects have been approved to date. So far, this represents an investment of €12.4 million in 445 communities covering a population of 355,000. In total, grant aid of almost €5 million has been approved to date.

While signed petitions were not a requirement for eligibility under the scheme, my Department did indicate that evidence of the level of demand for broadband services in the local community may be required. It was a matter for the applicants to demonstrate demand in whatever way they deemed appropriate and some did rely on petitions as evidence of interest.

I should also add that my Department, in partnership with local authorities, is constructing open access high speed networks in up to 120 large towns with populations over 1,500 persons.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if, in view of the fact that the number of businesses in the Kilmacanogue, Bray and Wicklow areas have increased and will continue to do so but are being hindered by not having a broadband connection; his views on when this will be provided; when the upgrading of the exchange in Bray will be completed to expedite the provision of this necessary service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27753/05]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position in relation to broadband for Kilmacanogue, County Wicklow; if it will be rolled out as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27787/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together.

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, ComReg, the independent regulator. The upgrading of the Eircom exchange in Bray is a matter for the company concerned.

It has been clear for some time that the sector has failed to invest at the level necessary to keep pace with the demand for broadband, so my Department's regional broadband programme is addressing the infrastructure deficit by building high speed open access broadband networks, in association with the local and regional authorities, in the major towns and cities. These metropolitan area networks, MANs, will allow the private sector to offer world-class broadband services at competitive costs.

Some 19 MANs are now completed, and a further seven are nearing completion. The second phase of the programme involves the building of MANs in a further 93 towns with a population of 1,500 and above that do not have a satisfactory broadband offering from the sector. Design and procurement has already commenced in four towns in Wicklow under phase two, namely Kilcoole, Enniskerry, Newtownmountkennedy and Blessington.

For rural communities and smaller towns, such as Kilmacanogue and the hinterlands of larger towns, 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. To date there are four schemes approved for Wicklow County — Rathdrum, North East Wicklow, Carnew and Laragh. Full details of the scheme, including application procedures, are on the website www.gbs.gov.ie.

My Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie lists all service providers offering broadband services in all towns in Wicklow, and gives contact details for each company, together with prices for the various service levels on offer.