Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 29: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on Ireland's ranking in recent international broadband league tables; if he is considering any new measures to ensure that all households and businesses have access to download speeds of 30 Mbps and that the digital divide does not increase further; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2535/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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There has been significant growth in the take up of broadband services and contracted speeds in Ireland in recent years. The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has reported that between Q3 2007 and Q3 2011 the number of broadband subscribers has more than doubled from 793,000 to more than 1.6 million.

It is also the case that, at the end of September 2011, 73.2% of domestic customers and 88.8% of business subscribers were using speeds between 2 Mbps – 10 Mbps. Many subscribers are also migrating to higher speed products with 19.8% of residential subscribers using speeds in excess of 10 Mbps, according to ComReg's latest Quarterly Report (Q3 2011).

International comparisons of broadband services are complex to measure and interpret. In many instances, surveys measure an average of retail broadband speeds published on service providers' websites only. These comparisons do not take account of higher speeds, which are available in some countries (including Ireland) over leased lines to users of very high speeds and bandwidth. The international comparisons only consider retail services that are advertised. Big bandwidth leased line services are not advertised as retail services in Ireland.

It is also the case that the comparisons do not take account of the variety of speeds options advertised. Furthermore, broadband services that are advertised as part of a bundled package are not compared. Some commonly used high speed broadband services, available in Ireland as triple play products, are therefore excluded from the international comparisons.

Nevertheless, there is a recognition in the Programme for Government of a need to increase the quality of broadband available nationwide. Under the NewERA proposals in the Programme for Government, there is a commitment to co-invest with the private sector and commercial Semi State sector to provide Next Generation Broadband customer access to every home and business in the State. The Next Generation Broadband Taskforce which I convened last summer has an important role to play in this regard. It comprises the CEOs of all of the major telecommunications companies operating in the Irish market, as well as CEOs of some other companies that provide broadband services. The purpose of the Taskforce is to discuss and report on policy issues and proposals in relation to the provision of high speed broadband across Ireland. I expect that the Taskforce will help to identify how best to deliver wider customer access to high-speed broadband generally and thereby assist in delivering on the commitment in the Programme for Government.

The Taskforce will conclude its deliberations shortly. It is my intention to consider the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the report of the Taskforce and to move quickly thereafter to put in place the optimal policy environment for the delivery of high speed broadband.