Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will bring forward measures to ensure that this State is 100 percent broadband-enabled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20636/06]

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 the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, using a range of different technologies. Ireland's broadband take-up is growing very strongly. By end-2005, there were over 270,000 broadband subscribers, which was equivalent to 6.6% of the population or almost 19% of households. Ireland's broadband take-up grew by 106% during 2005, which was more that twice the EU growth rate.

It is estimated that there were approximately 325,000 broadband subscribers by end-March 2006, which is approximately 8% of the population or over 22% of households with broadband. This growth in broadband take-up is supported by Government telecoms regulation and infrastructure policy. The Government is addressing the infrastructure deficit in the regions by building high-speed, open-access Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) in 120 towns and cities nationwide. Phase One of this Programme has delivered fibre optic networks to 27 towns and cities throughout the country.

This Programme has been extended to over 90 towns in various locations nationwide. It is expected that these MANs will be completed during 2006 and 2007. These networks will allow the private sector to offer world-class broadband services at competitive costs. My Department also offers funding assistance for smaller towns and rural communities through the County and Group Broadband Scheme. The scheme is technology-neutral, allowing the community to select the most suitable broadband delivery platform for the area. To date, over 150 projects have been approved for funding under this Programme.

Furthermore, a joint industry/Government fund of €18 million has been established for the Broadband for Schools Programme, which should provide every school in the country with broadband in 2006. This is a crucial strand in the strategy of integrating ICT into teaching and learning, and in my Department's wider vision of promoting the use of broadband technologies in local communities around the country. The installation phase is now almost complete, with 3,532 schools broadband enabled.

Today there are 68 broadband providers, a mixture of DSL, fixed wireless, satellite and cable, offering almost 300 different types of broadband products. Wireless broadband technology is improving rapidly, and the lowering of equipment prices has made this technology much more attractive of late especially in rural areas that cannot obtain ADSL connectivity, and the development of Wi-Max offers considerable potential in the future.