Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 112: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans to utilise the State's infrastructure by ensuring that broadband ducting is placed along ESB lines, on railway lines and on motorways. [20682/06]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 125: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he or his Department has had meetings with the ESB, Railway Procurement Agency, Iarnród Éireann or the National Roads Authority in relation to placing broadband ducting along ESB lines, on railway lines and on motorways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20678/06]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 139: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if plans have advanced for the establishment of a new semi-State telecommunications company reportedly entitled Project Dingle; the proposed timeframe for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20643/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 112, 125 and 139 together.

The Government is addressing the regional broadband infrastructure deficit by building high-speed open access Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) in 120 towns and cities nationwide, on a phased basis in association with the local and regional authorities. Phase One of this Programme has delivered fibre optic networks to 27 towns and cities throughout the country, which were built on time and under budget. This Programme has been extended to a further 90 towns in various locations nationwide. Design and procurement has already commenced in several regions and construction is due to start in the coming weeks. It is expected that these MANs will be completed during 2006 and 2007. The designs are incorporating backhaul options for a number of towns where there is currently no choice of backhaul provider. These Metropolitan Area Networks will allow the private sector to offer world-class broadband services at competitive costs and will complement the considerable government and EU supported investment that has been made in backbone infrastructure in recent years.

However, it is recognised there are still obstacles in ensuring that customers in some regional towns can gain access to quality broadband services at competitive prices. Although the newly constructed Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) ensure that there is significant capacity available at extremely competitive rates in the urban areas of these towns (where this was previously not the case), there is still limited national competition on backhaul, that is the onward transportation of this traffic to other destinations and on to the international internet exchanges in Dublin, to enable businesses in regional locations attain an affordable quality of service. This imbalance in regional connectivity needs to be addressed by exploring all options, including those in respect of state owned companies/agencies that currently own telecommunications infrastructure. In this regard, my officials hold regular meetings with the agencies referred to, in the context of ensuring broadband infrastructure is included along the power lines, railways and motorways where this is technically and economically feasible. Our aim is to improve cost and promote choice and competition amongst the various regional backhaul providers.

It is now clear to me from discussions with people involved in the MANs and Group Broadband Scheme (GBS) initiatives that backhaul pricing and availability is a critical issue for regional Ireland. Backhaul charges are making affordable high-capacity broadband in the regions difficult to achieve. This undermines the prospects for employment growth in regional and rural Ireland. If the market does not provide affordable national backhaul, this is a strategic weakness for Ireland, which we ignore at our peril.

In relation to Project Dingle, a team of advisors was engaged in April 2005 to examine the various issues and they submitted a Feasibility Report last December setting out the available options. The team reported that, while technically feasible, there would be considerable financial, legal and management challenges in harnessing and enhancing the existing State owned infrastructures. My officials and I are considering the report's conclusions in the context of developing strategies to improve backhaul connectivity to the regions.