Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Telecommunications Services

9:00 pm

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 914: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the electoral division of a location (details supplied) in County Mayo under the national broadband scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of persons are unable to receive landline broadband in that area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48269/09]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Broadband services are provided over various platforms including DSL (i.e. over telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, satellite and fibre by private sector service providers. I understand that broadband is available in Turlough, County Mayo, from wireless and satellite service providers and therefore this area will not be addressed by the National Broadband Scheme (NBS). Details of the availability of broadband services in Turlough, County Mayo, are available at www.broadband.gov.ie. I would add that the information contained in this website is provided by service providers.

It is important to clarify that, in designing the NBS, which was approved by the EU Commission, a balance had to be struck between reaching as many unserved areas as possible and minimising the impact of the scheme on businesses already providing broadband services in rural areas.

EU state aid and competition rules govern how states can intervene in areas where there are existing service providers. Accordingly, the NBS is prohibited from providing a service in served areas where to do so would give rise to an unacceptable level of market distortion.

More recently, the EU Commission has announced the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP) under which some funding has been set aside for rural broadband initiatives. My Department is currently considering the detailed design and implementation of a scheme which would address the issue of unserved rural premises outside of the NBS areas, including any unserved premises in County Mayo.

It is hoped to commence the scheme this year with the identification of premises not capable of receiving broadband. State Aid approval has been granted by the European Commission as part of the overall process of securing the necessary approvals and funding for the scheme.

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