James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason there is a lack of broadband availability at a location (details supplied) in County Longford; the reason he failed to respond to a letter on this issue from a frustrated resident dated 5 January; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13826/12]

Pat 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). 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.

In cases of market failure the Government will intervene, where it is appropriate and possible to do so. The National Broadband Scheme (NBS) represents such an intervention. It aimed to bring an affordable, scalable broadband service to certain designated rural areas where the extent of broadband coverage by commercial operators, at the time the Scheme was launched in 2008, was deemed to be inadequate.

Prior to the commencement of the NBS a detailed mapping exercise was carried out to determine those areas that would be included in the Scheme and those which, by virtue of being already substantially served by existing broadband suppliers, could not be included.

EU State aid and competition rules govern how States can intervene in areas in which commercial service providers already operate. Accordingly, the NBS is restricted to providing a basic service and is prohibited from providing a service in served areas where to do so would give rise to an unacceptable level of market distortion.

That mapping exercise found that the general area of Ardagh in County Longford was already served by existing service providers and consequently was excluded from the Scheme. Details of broadband services available in each county can be found on ComReg's website at www.callcosts.ie.

I replied to the original letter from the individual referred to in the Deputy's Question in February last and have made arrangements to have this copied to the Deputy for his information.