Written answers

Tuesday, 12 April 2011

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Telecommunications Services

9:00 pm

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 250: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the provision of high-speed broadband in rural Ireland. [7507/11]

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband services, is a matter in the first instance for private sector service providers operating in a liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). The telecommunications market in Ireland has been fully liberalised since 1999 and, since then, has seen the steady growth and development of vibrant well-regulated competition in the provision of the full range of telecommunications products and services. The Government has intervened in cases of market failure. Such interventions, as in the case of the National Broadband Scheme and the proposed Rural Broadband Scheme, are subject to state aid clearance by the EU Commission.

Under the NewERA proposals in the programme for Government, there is a commitment to co-invest with the private sector and the commercial semi-State sector to provide next generation broadband to every home and business in the State. Consideration of how best to advance these proposals, for which my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, has specific responsibility, is being advanced by my Department with other stakeholders across Government. In designing a measure to accelerate delivery of high speed broadband across Ireland, it will be important to ensure we do not displace or delay private sector investment which is already planned. Full account must also be taken of existing Exchequer-funded interventions such as the NBS and the proposed Rural Broadband Scheme. Furthermore, state aid rules preclude any intervention which is "technology specific" and requires the Government to clearly demonstrate market failure. In order to accelerate the development of high speed broadband, my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, and I intend to engage intensively with industry. The discussions will focus on identifying private and State sector investment plans, removing barriers to investment where appropriate and establishing appropriate targets and programmes.

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