Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 648: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the broadband coverage and available broadband speeds in County Wicklow; the percentage figure of the number of enabled exchanges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4601/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The provision of broadband services is, in the first instance, a matter for the private sector. Broadband service providers operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated, where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. I have no function in the matter of the enabling of exchanges owned by private companies. However, it is expected that the facilitation of greater competition in the area via the introduction of broadband from different technology platforms will encourage the more rapid enabling of all exchanges for broadband and faster speeds in broadband product offerings.

Details of broadband services throughout the country are available on my Department's broadband website www.broadband.gov.ie. The role of the Government is to formulate regulatory and infrastructure policies to facilitate the provision of high quality telecommunications services, by competing private sector service providers. The Government will take a further role where such market mechanisms fail to deliver crucial services to sections of Irish society. The widespread provision of broadband services continues to be a priority for the Government. In that regard my Department has undertaken initiatives to address the gaps in broadband coverage. These include providing grant-aid under the recently concluded Group Broadband Scheme and investment in Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs).

There are still some parts of the country where the private sector will be unable to justify the commercial provision of broadband services. Accordingly, the procurement process for a National Broadband Scheme (NBS) is underway. The NBS will provide broadband services to areas that are currently unserved and will ensure that all reasonable requests for broadband in County Wicklow 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 my Department and are developing their proposed solutions to meet my 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 roll out to commence as soon as possible thereafter, subject to agreement with the chosen candidate.