Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the action which is being taken to ensure the availability of broadband services to subscribers in areas currently without service, such as the Black Valley in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28043/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 263: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the action which is being taken to ensure the availability of broadband services to subscribers in areas currently without service, such as the Black Valley in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28136/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 263 together.

The provision of broadband services is a matter in the first instance for the private sector companies operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by ComReg. It has been clear for some time that the telecommunications 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.

Nineteen 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. County Kerry is developing projects in respect of the following towns: Castleisland, Dingle, Kenmare, Killarney, Listowel and Tralee. The route designs are currently being finalised prior to issuing the detailed design invitation to tender. Construction on these projects is expected to commence in early 2006. My Department's website, www.broadband.gov.ie, lists all service providers offering broadband services in all towns in County Kerry and gives contact details for each company with prices for the various service levels on offer.

My Department is currently administering the second call for the county and group broadband scheme, GBS. 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 following GBS community projects in County Kerry have been approved to date: Ballyferriter, Boherbue, Brandon, Caherciveen, Kinard, Ventry, north Kerry, Sliabh Luchra and Tarbert.