Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 440: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps he is taking to ensure the roll out of broadband in rural areas not covered by the national broadband scheme; his plans to address this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22697/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Prior to the commencement of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) a detailed mapping exercise was carried out to help determine those areas that would be included in the scheme and those which, by virtue of being already substantially served by existing broadband suppliers, were to be excluded.

EU State aid and competition rules govern how states can intervene in areas where there are existing service providers operating. 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.

It continues to be a priority of the Government that there will be broadband coverage across the entire country. However, despite Government and private investment in broadband, I am aware that there continues to be a small percentage of premises throughout the country that will not be capable of receiving broadband services. This is primarily due to technical and other reasons (suitability of a telephone line, distance from an enabled exchange, no line of sight etc.). The European Commission has set aside a portion of the European Economic Recovery Programme (EERP) funding for rural broadband initiatives. My Department is currently progressing the design and implementation of a scheme which would use this funding to address the issue of basic broadband availability to un-served rural premises outside of the NBS areas.

I would like to stress that this scheme will not be available in locations already served by existing service providers. My Department will be consulting with existing Internet Service Providers to ensure that the scheme does not encroach on their existing customer base and to verify that applicants are in fact unable to obtain a broadband service.

In a parallel exercise, there will be a competitive process to engage a service provider who will offer a broadband service to qualified applicants under the scheme. While the exact details have yet to be finalised, I expect that the service offered under this scheme would at least match the service offered under the NBS. This process will be technology neutral – it will be a matter for the bidders to decide which technical approach they propose in their bids.

The proposed scheme is intended to complement the Government's previous broadband intervention initiatives and would, subject to the market responding to the scheme, ensure that the remaining un-served rural premises would able to avail of a broadband service. This underlines the Government's commitment to the goal of ubiquitous broadband.

It is intended to commence the scheme later this year with the identification of premises not capable of receiving broadband. It is expected that the roll-out phase of the scheme will be carried out during 2011 and 2012.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 441: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 801 of 9 July 2009, the position regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22768/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I can inform the Deputy that officials are currently undertaking an appraisal exercise to explore options for investment, including further phases of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) Programme, in line with Department of Finance Guidelines. I will consider the outcome of this appraisal when it is completed. Decisions on future investment will be guided by; (i) the outcome of the appraisal, (ii) the policy paper of June 2009 on Next Generation Broadband; (iii) the Value for Money and Policy Review undertaken on Phase I of the MANs Programme; and (iv) the availability of resources.