Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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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, including County Meath.

While my Department does not hold information on broadband penetration by region, ComReg publishes quarterly statistical reports on national developments in the fixed-line, mobile and broadband communications markets.

These reports demonstrate the significant progress in broadband roll-out over recent years. At the end of June 2010 Ireland had in the region of 1.48 million broadband subscriptions and narrowband connections had reduced to less than 5% of all Internet connections. The year-on-year growth in subscriptions over the preceding 12-month period from June 2009 was over 16.5%.

Broadband services are now available throughout the entire National Broadband Scheme (NBS) area. A list of the Electoral Divisions (EDs) covered by the NBS in County Meath is provided.

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. Using this funding, which will be augmented by an Exchequer contribution, I intend, to formally launch a new Rural Broadband Scheme aimed at providing a basic broadband service to individual un-served rural premises outside of the NBS areas.

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.

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.

Electoral Divisions (ED) Covered by the NBS in County Meath ED

Name ED Reference No.

ARDBRACCAN ED 167002

BECTIVE ED 167011

CASTLEKEERAN ED 167016

CLOGHBRACK ED 167019

CLONMACDUFF ED 167020

CROSSKEYS ED 167022

DRUMCONDRA ED 167027

KILLALLON ED 167047

KILLARY ED 167048

KILLEAGH ED 167049

KILLYON ED 167051

KILMORE ED 167054

KNOCKLOUGH ED 167056

LOUGHAN ED 167058

MOYLAGH ED 167063

RATHKENNY ED 167075

RATHMORE ED 167076

TROHANNY ED 167092