Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the current level of high speed broadband availability in each county; the areas still having a reduced level or no service; the number of service providers currently engaged in provision of such services; the total cost to date paid to each service provider by way of direct grant or other means; the extent to which services here are now available in terms of quality and standard in comparison with other EU or non-EU jurisdictions; if he will set out his expenditure proposals in this regard in the short and medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44973/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband services, is a matter for private sector service providers operating in a liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). 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. ComReg's website www.callcosts.ie provides detailed information on the various private sector telecommunications products and services available on a county by county basis.

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. The provision of broadband services under the NBS has advanced incrementally and services are now available throughout the entire NBS area. Since the completion of the roll out of the NBS network last month, every part of Ireland now has a broadband service available from at least one service provider. Additionally, satellite broadband services are available throughout Ireland. However, despite Government and private investment in broadband, I am aware that there continues to be isolated cases of premises throughout the country that are not be capable of receiving the broadband services available. This is primarily due to technical and other reasons (e.g., suitability of a telephone line, distance from an enabled exchange, or no 'line of sight' from the premises to the wireless base station).

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, subject to Government approval, to launch a Rural Broadband Scheme before the end of the year. This scheme will aim to provide a basic broadband service to individual un-served rural premises outside of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) areas. I expect that the service offered under this scheme will be fully rolled out by the end of 2012.

ComReg is responsible for the authorisation of broadband service providers. ComReg's most recent Quarterly Report shows that, at the end of June 2010, there were 468 organisations authorised to provide electronic communications services. The Quarterly Report highlights that the total number includes all general authorisations granted by ComReg under the European Framework for Authorisations, and does not necessarily reflect the total number of commercially active organisations or entities currently operating in the market. The total includes a number of undertakings who are authorised to use licence-exempt spectrum for the provision of wireless services.

In terms of international comparison, Ireland ranks 15th of the EU 27 for fixed broadband penetration and 6th for mobile only penetration. Additionally, a recent study of broadband services in 72 countries by the University of Oxford and the University of Oviedo, Spain, concluded that the broadband services currently available in Ireland are capable of meeting the requirements of today's broadband applications and overall, in terms of broadband quality and penetration, Ireland ranks 13th of the 72 countries studied. As regards future investment, this will be primarily funded by the private sector with the State stepping in, within available resources, at targeted areas.