Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 1051: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the date for commencement of the national broadband scheme; the qualifying criteria and application process for areas currently not served by broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12246/08]

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 by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).

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 not served and will ensure that all reasonable requests for broadband are met.

A complex mapping exercise was undertaken in order to identify all areas where broadband services are and are not available. My Department and ComReg contacted service providers and requested details of their current and planned broadband coverage. The decision with respect to areas that are not currently served but are expected to be served in the near future will be made in July 2008. Any area not served by 1 July 2008, will fall under the scope of the NBS.

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. 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 areas of the country not served. It is anticipated that a preferred bidder will be selected and appointed in June 2008, with rollout to commence as soon as possible thereafter.