Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 132: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason a company (details supplied) is unable to obtain a licence for 100 MB broadband in Duleek, County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14904/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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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, regulated by the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).

The provision of broadband services over fixed lines, including cable, is subject to a notification to ComReg by the service provider under their general authorisation. A specific licence to provide broadband services over fixed lines does not arise.

Broadband services can also be provided using wireless technologies, which would require a licence to use the wireless spectrum. Wireless technologies capable of delivering speeds of 100 megabits per second are not currently available in the market.

Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when high speed broadband will be available in Stamullen, County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14905/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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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, regulated by the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). Broadband services are provided by a number of private service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e. over telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, fibre and satellite. Details of broadband service providers in County Meath are available on ComReg's Call Costs website at http://www.callcosts.ie/broadband/Broadband_Calculator.175.LE.aspI.

Under the NewERA proposals in the Programme for Government to deliver higher broadband speeds, there is a commitment to co-invest with the private sector and 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 is being advanced by my Department with other stakeholders across Government.

Additionally, in order to accelerate the development of high speed broadband, my officials have been engaging with industry. The Next Generation Broadband Taskforce (NGBT), which I chair, will consider how best to roll out Next Generation Broadband. The NGBT, which includes representatives of large network owners and smaller telecommunications services providers, will meet shortly to discuss policy and related matters. I expect that the NGBT will be helpful in terms of identifying the optimal policy position to deliver wider customer access to high-speed broadband.