Brendan Kenneally (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 442: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the plans in place to provide broadband to the rural areas of County Waterford that are currently not served; and when these plans will be put in place. [28167/09]

Brendan Kenneally (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 443: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the status of Broadband provision in County Waterford by town. [28168/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 442 and 443 together.

Broadband services are provided by private service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e over the telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, satellite and fibre. Details of broadband availability from service providers together with the availability of broadband services in specific areas, including areas in County Waterford, are available at www.broadband.gov.ie.

In order to address a lack of broadband in areas where it is not commercially viable for the private sector to operate my Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) in late December 2008. 3 is required to provide services to all fixed residences and businesses that are located within the NBS Coverage Area and who seek a service. The NBS will be rolled out on an Electoral Division (ED) basis. Details of the EDs to be covered by the NBS can be found at: http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Communications/Communications+Development/National+Broadband+Scheme.htm. The EDs in County Waterford that will be covered by the NBS are set out on the following list.

Challenging programme roll-out targets have been agreed with 3 and initial NBS services were launched in a small number of rural areas at the end of April this year. Broadband coverage in individual EDs will be made available incrementally during the coming months. The forthcoming availability of services to premises located within identified EDs will be announced progressively prior to their enablement on 3's coverage map which can be accessed on its website at www.three.ie/nbs. All of the EDs in the NBS Coverage Area are required to be enabled by the end of September 2010. National Broadband Scheme (NBS) Electoral Divisions (ED) to be Covered by the NBS in County Waterford ED Name ED Reference No. BALLYDUFF ED 227004 BALLYDURN ED 227005 BALLYNAMULT ED 227013 BALLYSAGGART MORE ED 227014 BOHADOON ED 227015 CARRIGCASTLE ED 227019 CASTLERICHARD ED 227021 CLASHMORE ED227022 COLLIGAN ED 227025 COMERAGH ED 227026 COUMARAGLIN ED 227027 FEWS ED 227038 FOX'S CASTLE ED 227039 GARDENMORRIS ED 227040 GEORGESTOWN ED 227041 GLEN ED ED 227042 GRAIGNAGOWER ED 227045 GURTEEN ED 227048 KILBARRYMEADEN ED 227052 KILCOCKAN ED 227053 KILWATERMOY EAST ED 227062 KNOCKAUNBRANDAUN ED 227065 KNOCKMAHON ED 227066 MOCOLLOP ED 227068 MODELLIGO ED 227070 MOUNTKENNEDY ED 227072 RATHGORMUCK ED 227078 ROSS ED 227082 SESKINAN ED 227083 TEMPLEMICHAEL ED 227087 TINNASAGGART ED 227088