Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the progress his Department has made in co-ordinating the existing backhaul networks that are in the ownership of different State owned companies to assist the development of a competitive telecommunications infrastructure for Ireland. [38778/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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In April 2005 a team of advisers was engaged to examine the potential for enhancing and augmenting existing State owned infrastructure. This team submitted a Feasibility Report in December 2005. The report found that, while technically feasible, there would be considerable financial, legal, regulatory, operational and organisational challenges in harnessing and enhancing the existing State owned infrastructures. It is not my intention to publish the report given the extent of the commercially sensitive information contained in it. My Department is considering options to enhance competitive backhaul connectivity.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if in view of a new Eurostat survey ranking Ireland within the bottom four of States surveyed for household broadband connection rates and due to the fact that Ireland has fallen back yet another place in the OECD broadband league tables he will bring forward measures to address the ever increasing broadband deficit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38854/06]

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 accurate to say that the Irish broadband market is currently ranked lower than more developed markets in terms of broadband take-up. This reflects the relatively late launch of affordable and competitive broadband services in Ireland by telecoms and cable companies in the early 2000s.

However, Ireland is now a fast growing broadband market and broadband take-up has more than tripled since late 2004 when I set a target of 400,000 subscribers by end 2006. This target has already been comfortably exceeded. The challenge now to industry is to reach 500,000 subscribers by 2007. If the current growth holds I should be in a position to announce 500,000 subscribers by Spring 2007.

The role of Government is to implement regulatory and infrastructure policies to facilitate the provision of affordable, high quality telecommunications services, by competing private sector service providers.

However, it has been clear for some time that the private sector has failed to invest at the level necessary to keep pace with the demand for broadband. Direct funding has already been provided under the NDP 2000-2006 for the provision of backbone infrastructure and to upgrade local access infrastructure. 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) allow the private sector to offer world-class broadband services at competitive costs. The networks also offer towns opportunities to attract inward investment in advanced technology and knowledge based enterprises. However, it has been clear for some time that the private sector has failed to invest at the level necessary to keep pace with the demand for broadband. Direct funding has already been provided under the NDP 2000-2006 for the provision of backbone infrastructure and to upgrade local access infrastructure. 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) allow the private sector to offer world-class broadband services at competitive costs. The networks also offer towns opportunities to attract inward investment in advanced technology and knowledge based enterprises.

The Department also offered funding assistance for smaller towns and rural communities through the Group Broadband Scheme. The scheme is technology-neutral, allowing the community to select the most suitable broadband delivery platform for the area.

Despite private and public investment in broadband infrastructure there are still some parts of the country where the private sector will be unable to justify the commercial provision of broadband connectivity. Options to address these gaps in broadband coverage are currently being considered by a Steering Group comprising officials from my Department and representatives from ComReg. I expect to finalise proposals shortly.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason for the delay in announcing the third call for broadband; when the call will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38707/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the importance of the roll out of broadband in rural areas and smaller communities. The most recent phase of the group broadband scheme, which provides grant aid for the installation of broadband in rural areas, has closed.

However, the nature of the scheme is currently being reviewed in the context of options being considered for the achievement of nationwide broadband. Ultimately, my aim is to ensure that the most effective and efficient mechanisms are put in place to assist in the roll out of broadband nationally as quickly as possible.

Options to address these gaps in broadband coverage are currently being considered by a Steering Group comprising officials from my Department and representatives from the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. I expect to finalise proposals shortly.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the full extent of the BT proposals in regard to the provision and facilitation of broadband throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38761/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I have no function in this matter. The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter in the first instance for private sector companies operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. Private sector companies' investment proposals are matters for those companies.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he is satisfied all former Smart Telecom customers have been provided with alternative and satisfactory service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38749/06]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position regarding the recent Smart Telecom fiasco; the discussions his Department has held with ComReg and the telecoms industry in this regard; when he will bring forward the emergency legislation that he promised to ensure there will be no repetition of this episode; the regulatory reform he will introduce on foot of this debacle; if he will adopt ComReg's suggestion of establishing a statutory basis for notice of withdrawal of service by a telecoms operator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38856/06]

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 125: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of subscribers whose broadband and telephone service was disconnected in the course of the dispute between Eircom and Smart Telecom; if all such subscribers have been reconnected with full service in respect of both broadband and telephone; the number of reconnections undertaken by Eircom and other service providers; if provision is being made to prevent a recurrence of the outage and inconvenience to customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38754/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his proposals, or the discussions he has had, in relation to preventing another Smart Telecom situation which occurred recently with over 45,000 customers being disconnected in view of his recent commitment to request ComReg to examine the matter in order to prevent such a scenario happening in the future. [38820/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 99, 125 and 164 together.

The telecoms market in Ireland is fully liberalised and open. Statutory responsibility for the regulation of the electronic communication sector rests with the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), under the Communications Regulation Act 2002 and the Regulations transposing the EU Regulatory Framework for Electronic Communications Networks and Services.

As the Minister with responsibility for policy in the sector, I am concerned about the disruption and inconvenience caused to so many customers. A number of steps have been taken by the Regulator to ensure that disconnected customers can move to alternative service providers and have a telephone service restored to them.