Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 708: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress of the national broadband scheme; when he expects the tender to be awarded; and when the roll out of the scheme will commence. [3123/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The procurement process for a National Broadband Scheme (NBS) is under way. The NBS will provide broadband services to areas that are currently unserved and will ensure that all reasonable requests for broadband in unserved areas are met.

The first phase of the procurement process (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)) is now complete, and four candidates pre-qualified to enter the next phase of the procurement process. As my Department indicated on 2 September 2007, the four candidates were, in alphabetical order, BT Communications Ireland Ltd Consortium, eircom Ltd, Hutchinson 3G Ireland Ltd and IFA/Motorola Consortium.

Following the withdrawal of the IFA/Motorola Consortium as a candidate the remaining three candidates have now commenced "Competitive Dialogue" with the Department and are developing their proposed solutions to meet the Department's requirements for the delivery of broadband to the unserved areas of the country. It is anticipated that a preferred bidder will be selected and appointed in June 2008, with rollout to commence as soon as possible thereafter, subject to agreement with the chosen candidate.