John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 492: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his proposals to improve broadband in County Kerry. [35979/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The provision of broadband services is in the first instance a matter for private sector service providers operating in Ireland's fully liberalised telecommunications market. Broadband services are provided by private service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e. over telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, fibre and satellite.

Details of broadband services available in each county, including in County Kerry, can be found on ComReg's website at www.callcosts.ie.

In cases of market failure the Government will intervene, where it is appropriate and possible to do so. The National Broadband Scheme (NBS) represents such an intervention.

In December 2008, my Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery of the NBS. The company is required to provide services, using a mix of technologies, to all fixed residences and businesses that are located within the NBS Coverage Area and which seek a service.

Under the NBS contract, all Electoral Divisions (EDs) in the NBS Coverage Area are required to have broadband connectivity by the end of this month. I am happy to report that 3 are in line to meet that obligation.

The table below details the EDs in County Kerry that are included in the NBS. Coverage is now available in all of these areas.

It continues to be a priority of the Government that there will be broadband coverage across the entire country. 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. Using this funding, which will be augmented by an Exchequer contribution, I intend to formally launch a Rural Broadband Scheme before the end of this year. This scheme will aim to provide a basic broadband service to individual un-served rural premises outside of the NBS areas.

Information in relation to acceptance of applications and the process of qualification under the scheme will be made available in due course when the scheme is launched.

National Broadband Scheme

Electoral Divisions (ED) to be covered by the NBS in County Kerry