James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 597: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount that was invested in the metropolitan area broadband networks project in the towns of Fingal, namely Skerries, Lusk, Donabate and Portrane; if these high speed optic cables are being used or made available for use currently to improve broadband speeds and access to broadband in Fingal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9118/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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A total of €4.08m was committed to the Fingal Metropolitan Area Networks project. The then Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, committed €3.71m or 90% grant aid and Fingal County Council committed the remaining 10%, or €0.37m. The total grant paid to date is €3.35m. Construction commenced in these towns in February 2007 and was certified complete in November 2007. All the networks are now available to service providers to provide high-speed access to end users in the towns referred to by the Deputy.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 598: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when broadband will be made available to people in the Abbeyknockmoy, Monivea, Brierfield areas of Tuam, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9326/08]

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.

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 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 (GBS) and investment in Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs).

Although broadband is now widely available in Ireland there are still some parts of the country where the private sector will be unable to justify the commercial provision of broadband services. These areas are being addressed by the National Broadband Scheme (NBS), which will provide broadband services to areas that are currently unserved, including any unserved areas in County Galway, and will ensure that all reasonable requests for broadband are met.

The first phase of the NBS procurement process (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)) is now complete, and four candidates pre-qualified to enter the next phase of the procurement process. It is anticipated that a preferred bidder will be selected and appointed in June 2008 and that implementation of services will commence as soon as possible thereafter.