Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when it is proposed to provide the Menlough area of County Galway with broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5718/08]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason people living in a townland (details supplied) have no broadband or mobile phone coverage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5744/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 256 together.

The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband and mobile telephony, is in the first instance a matter for the private sector. Telecommunication service providers operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated, where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. 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. While I have no plans to intervene in the mobile telephony market, 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 Galway 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.