Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 369: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position in relation to the roll-out of a service (details supplied) both in County Mayo and nationally. [12468/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband by private sector companies is a matter for the companies themselves operating in a fully liberalised market, regulated, where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg.

It continues to be a priority of the Government that there will be broadband coverage across the entire country. In that regard my Department has undertaken initiatives to address the gaps in broadband coverage. These include investment in Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) in over 120 towns and cities. These MANs will allow the private sector to offer world-class broadband services at competitive costs. My Department has also provided grant-aid under the recently concluded Group Broadband Scheme.

However, despite Government and private investment in broadband, I am aware that there are still some parts of the country where the private sector is unable to justify the commercial provision of broadband connectivity. A Steering Committee comprising officials from my Department and ComReg is currently finalising the proposed National Broadband Scheme, which will aim to provide broadband to these unserved areas. The scheme, when it is fully rolled out, should ensure that all reasonable requests for broadband from houses and premises in unserved areas, including rural areas, are met. Work on the design of an appropriate public tender is underway and indicative maps are being prepared to help inform the tendering process.