Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 840: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the expected timeframe for the availability of broadband in an area (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28308/06]

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).

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 the Department's Regional Broadband Programme is addressing the infrastructure deficit by building high speed fibre based broadband networks, in association with the local and regional authorities, in the major towns and cities. These Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) are open access fibre based trunk networks that will allow the private sector to offer world-class broadband services at competitive costs.

Twenty-seven MANs are now completed including the Wexford Town MAN. The Department also administers a group broadband scheme, which is designed to promote the roll out of broadband access through the establishment of sustainable broadband services in towns, villages, rural hinterlands and under-served areas of larger towns on the basis of local and regional authority coordination and community driven initiatives. Under this scheme a broadband project was approved for South Wexford including Bridgetown, Kilmore, Kilmore Quay, Ballyhogue, Galbally and Bree, Co. Wexford. These schemes are now operational and a broadband service is available.

The Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie gives full details of broadband availability in all areas, including ADSL, cable, fibre, satellite and fixed wireless. The website also lists prices of the various service levels on offer and contact details for each service provider.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 841: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the measures which are being put in place to accelerate the roll-out of broadband technology across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28309/06]

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.

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.

The 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.

A joint industry/Government fund of €18 million has been established for the Broadband for Schools Programme to resource the provision of high speed broadband connectivity to all primary and post-primary schools in the country by end Autumn 2006, at no cost to the schools themselves. 94% of schools have broadband installed to date; the aim is to complete the outstanding schools in the coming weeks.

Despite these successes there will still be some parts of the country where the private sector will be unable to justify the commercial provision of broadband connectivity. I am currently examining options to address the delivery of broadband services to these areas and I hope to be in a position to bring proposals to Government shortly.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 842: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the percentage of the country that has ready access to broadband technology for both business and domestic use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28310/06]

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.

It is now estimated that over 85% of the population currently has access to broadband services. A lack of investment by the telecommunications sector in the necessary infrastructure has been an impediment to the delivery of competitive broadband services, primarily in the regions. The Government is addressing this investment 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 2007 and 2008. These networks will allow the private sector to offer world-class broadband services at competitive prices.

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 160 projects have been approved for funding under this Programme.

A joint industry/Government fund of €18 million has been established for the Broadband for Schools Programme, to resource the provision of high speed broadband connectivity to all primary and post primary schools in the country by end Autumn 2006, at no cost to the schools themselves; 94% of schools have broadband installed to date; the aim is to complete the outstanding schools in the coming weeks.

Broadband subscriber numbers have increased hugely in the last two years. Almost 140,000 new broadband subscribers were added in 2005, and a further 100,000 in the first half of 2006 alone.

The latest ComReg quarterly report states there are 372,000 broadband subscribers as of June 2006. This is equivalent to 26.57% of all households. A snapshot of the market conducted by ComReg in the middle of September put the total number of broadband subscribers at over 410,000 subscribers, or almost 30% of households.

The official Government target was to have 400,000 subscribers by end-2006. This has been comfortably exceeded. My challenge to industry is to reach 500,000 broadband subscribers by the middle of 2007. Despite these successes there are some parts of the country where the private sector will be unable to justify the commercial provision of broadband connectivity. I am currently examining options to address the delivery of broadband services to these areas and I hope to be in a position to bring proposals to Government shortly.