Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Ireland's position in the international European league in availability of broadband services and the likelihood of the provision of same in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28010/05]

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 148: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent of his earlier projections regarding the provision of broadband throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28049/05]

Shane McEntee (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his projections for the provision of broadband throughout the country with particular reference to the targets set are likely to be achieved in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28047/05]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the details of the changed Government broadband target from that of 500,000 broadband subscribers by the end of 2006 as stated in reply to a parliamentary question on June 16 2005 to the current target of 400,000 broadband subscribers as of 28 September 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27872/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent of his earlier projections regarding the provision of broadband throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28130/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 259: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his projections for the provision of broadband throughout the country with particular reference to the targets set are likely to be achieved in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28132/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 262: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which the existing technology is capable of facilitating the provision of broadband throughout the country as identified through his most recent projections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28135/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 283: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position regarding Ireland's place in the international European league in availability of broadband services and the likelihood of the provision of same in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28160/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 134, 148, 156, 177, 257, 259, 262 and 283 together.

In late 2004, I set a Government target of 400,000 broadband subscribers to be achieved by the end of 2006. Subsequently, broadband subscriber numbers have grown by 73%, in the nine months since I set that target, to reach approximately 175,000 by the end of July 2005.

There has been no change in the Government target of 400,000 subscribers by the end of 2006. When I set that target, I made it clear to the telecommunications industry that it should be even more ambitious in its broadband plans. I challenged it to increase the roll-out and take-up of broadband services to reach 500,000 by the end of 2006, surpassing the Government target for the same period. I am confident these targets can be achieved.

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 regulator, ComReg. ComReg's register of authorised undertakings lists no less than 169 companies offering Internet access services in Ireland with a wide variety of service levels.

The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has a broadband website, www.broadband.gov.ie, which gives prices, service levels, locations and contact details of 44 service providers offering a wide range of broadband services from 0.256 megabits per second to 56 megabits per second, using a range of delivery platforms such as cable, DSL, fixed wireless and satellite. A range of broadband technologies can deliver broadband to any customer in Ireland.

The rate of broadband uptake is dependent on a combination of factors. These include access by the private sector service providers to suitable infrastructure, as well as competition between broadband service providers and demand conditions for broadband in the economy. The Government is addressing the infrastructure deficit by building high-speed open access metropolitan area networks in 120 towns and cities nationwide in association with the local and regional authorities. It is also offering funding assistance for smaller towns and rural communities to support the roll-out of broadband services through the county and group broadband scheme, under which 150 projects have already been approved covering over 450 communities. The provision of broadband to all primary and post-primary schools has now begun and will be completed by early 2006.

Full details of the regional broadband programme can be found on the website of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, www.dcmnr.gov.ie.