John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans in place to upgrade telephone exchanges to broadband standard in areas (details supplied) to ensure proper broadband facilities for home and business users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23182/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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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 Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, the independent regulator. I have no function in the matter of the enabling of exchanges owned by private companies.

As a private company, Eircom is not obliged to inform my Department about its plans concerning future upgrades to its broadband service. However, I welcome the recent announcement by Eircom that it is committing an extra €30 million to enabling 319 exchanges over the next coming years, in order to allow up to 140,000 new customers to connect to a broadband enabled exchange.