Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent of utilisation of the metropolitan area networks in County Mayo indicating in each case if there is backhaul connectivity; and the resilience that exists. [28956/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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There are five Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) in County Mayo: Ballina; Ballinrobe; Claremorris; Kiltimagh and Knock. The MANS are managed, maintained and operated by e|net on behalf of the State and are available on a wholesale carrier neutral and open access basis.

Backhaul is available in each of the five MAN towns and three of these have been connected: Ballina, Claremorris and Kiltimagh. e|net has advised that the fibre backhaul to Ballina is fully resilient while the routes to Claremorris (fibre) and Kiltimagh (wireless) are not fully resilient. Although backhaul is available, there is currently no backhaul connection to the Ballinrobe and Knock MANs. Five service providers are connected to the Ballina MAN, 1 to the Claremorris MAN and 2 to the Kiltimagh MAN. The number of businesses being served by each service provider in those towns is a commercial matter for the service providers concerned.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 128: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if, in view of the sell off of the channel 69 spectrum and the move to channel 38 for programmes making special event users, he will consider having the licensing rate reduced to a level in line with neighbouring countries; if he will examine the possibility of some financial support scheme to help them transfer their current stock of channel 69 equipment to the new allocated frequency range in channel 38 in line with the system that is operating in England and in Germany; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28979/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The licensing of radio microphones is a matter for the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). I understand that channel 69 (854 – 862 MHz) is one of the channels available for radio microphone use in Ireland. At the International Telecommunication Union World Radio-communication Conference in 2007 it was agreed that channels 61 to 69 would be made available for mobile services. Subsequently the European Commission, in its Recommendation 2009/848/EC, recommended that analogue terrestrial TV services would be switched off in 2012 and that the above channels should be used for electronic communications services. This switch over will facilitate the roll out of high speed mobile broadband to communities across Europe. In complying with this Recommendation channel 69 will no longer be available for radio microphone use.

As the Deputy may be aware Ireland's national digital switch over strategy provides for a move to all digital TV services by the end of 2012, with the existing services in the 800 MHz band (including channel 61-69) due to be switched off at that stage.

ComReg conducted a public consultation on this matter in April 2010. The June 2009 decision of the UK Communications Regulator (Ofcom) to confirm Channel 38 (606 – 614 MHz) as a replacement for Channel 69 was raised during the consultation. In light of the Ofcom decision, and noting that Ireland is a small and open economy and the potential for economies of scale of equipment manufacture and roaming of services, ComReg considered that spectrum for radio microphones should be aligned with spectrum available for radio microphones in larger European markets.

Following consideration of responses received to its consultation, ComReg's view is that it would be appropriate to use a replacement channel aligned with the UK's channel for wireless microphones and it therefore announced in September 2010 that it would make Channel 38 available on an exclusive basis for radio microphone use in Ireland. All appropriate steps for the orderly change in use of the relevant spectrum have been taken.

The current cost of a licence for the possession and use of programme making and special event equipment, including radio microphones, for an event is a €12 administration fee and €12 per piece of equipment. The licence fee was established in 1986 and has remained unchanged since that time. As the Deputy will be aware ComReg is obliged to recover its administrative costs for the management of such licensing schemes. I am advised that it is not possible to make a direct comparison with other countries when considering licence fees given that the method of fee calculation in other countries is based on a number of different factors such as the number of channels required and duration of event. In Ireland the only factor taken into account in terms of fee calculation is the number of pieces of equipment used and this is enshrined in legislation.

ComReg has no remit in relation to compensation and my Department has no funds for a compensation programme as suggested by the Deputy. I understand that the situation in the UK is different as the UK Regulator previously gave assurances on the future use of channel 69 until 2018 but subsequently had to retract this assurance. I understand that radio microphone manufacturers and suppliers have been aware, since the International Telecommunication Union World Radio-communication Conference in 2007, of the fact that channel 69 would no longer be available for wireless microphone use from the end of 2012.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if and when broadband services will be available in the Knockanally area in County Kildare; his plans with respect to broadband service in this area with particular reference to both the ongoing need and demand for such a service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28993/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The provision of broadband services is, in the first instance, a matter for commercial service providers. In cases of market failure the Government will intervene, where it is appropriate and possible to do so. The Group Broadband Scheme, National Broadband Scheme (NBS) and Rural Broadband Scheme are all examples of where Government has intervened to ensure broadband availability in areas, particularly rural ones, where commercial investors have failed to provide services.

The area of Knockanally, County Kildare was not included in the NBS because the national mapping exercise carried out in advance of the scheme determined that the area was already covered from a broadband perspective. The Rural Broadband Scheme, which recently closed for applications, aims to identify the remaining individual premises in rural Ireland, outside the NBS areas, that are unable to obtain a broadband service and to provide a basic broadband to those premises, where requested.

The areas eligible for applications under the Rural Broadband Scheme included Knockanally in County Kildare. Almost 5,000 applications have been received under the scheme and my Department is currently processing applications where address details need to be clarified – this is a time consuming exercise but the aim is to clear these applications over the coming weeks.

The next step in the scheme is the Verification Phase, in which the Department will give Internet service providers the opportunity to serve the applicants under normal commercial terms. Subject to agreement with the companies concerned, the Verification Phase should be carried out over the period October 2011–January 2012. We would expect that some of the applicants under the Scheme will be offered a service by these companies during this phase.

The procurement process is expected to commence in parallel to select a service provider to offer a service to remaining applicants once the Verification Phase has been completed. My Department expects to identify the preferred supplier by the end of January 2012 and pending contract negotiations a service provider will be appointed by mid-February 2012. Roll out of the service under the Scheme is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.