Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to the recent meeting of the International Advisory Forum on Broadband, the timeframe for publication of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14646/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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My Department has prepared a Draft Policy Paper on Next Generation Broadband. The Paper reviews current communications infrastructure policy and analyses policy options in light of industry developments in relation to the optimum role for the Government in the planning and roll out of next generation broadband. In February of this year I convened a meeting of the expert International Advisory Forum to examine the Paper. The Forum critiqued draft options and recommendations on how to meet the challenges that lie ahead. The Forum members supported the broad thrust of the document and have provided valuable feedback. They offered some additional recommendations and advice on the future trends of the telecommunications and ICT industries and proposed that certain suggestions be explored further. The draft paper is currently being updated to take account of the Forum's contribution. This will be finished soon and I will shortly publish the paper for public consultation.