Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 416: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the broadband options available to residents (details supplied) in County Mayo; when broadband will be made available to them through the rural broadband scheme; the proposed timetable for a full broadband service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29084/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Ireland's telecommunications market has been liberalised since 1999 and since then has developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details of broadband services available on a county-by-county basis can be found on the Commission for Communications Regulation's (ComReg) website at www.callcosts.ie.

The Government has undertaken a number of initiatives to bring broadband to those parts of the country where operators have been unable to offer services on a commercial basis. In the case of one such intervention, namely the National Broadband Scheme (NBS), services are available since October 2010 from the NBS service provider, 3, to persons with a fixed residence or fixed business in each of the 1,028 Electoral Divisions (ED) designated to be covered under the Scheme. That includes 112 EDs in County Mayo, which are listed in Appendix I.

The Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS) was launched last year in recognition of the fact that despite the widespread availability of broadband throughout Ireland, there still remained individual premises that were unable to receive broadband provision, due to technical difficulties such as line of sight issues. This Scheme, which is being rolled out this year, is aimed at making a basic broadband service available to those individual un-served premises in rural non-NBS areas who wish to avail of such services.

My Department has received 49 eligible applications from County Mayo. The details of applicants have been passed to the commercial operators participating in the Scheme. The names of these companies and the area where they operate can be found on the following link: list of companies. It is expected that a significant number of applicants will be served by commercial operators as part of this phase of the Scheme, which concludes at the end of July. Should any applicants remain un-served after this phase, a service will be procured by my Department and the target is to have this rolled out by the end of this year.

The combination of private investment and State interventions means that Ireland will meet the EU Commission's Digital Agenda for Europe target of having a basic broadband service available to all areas by 2013. With basic broadband services available throughout Ireland, the challenge now is to accelerate the roll out of high speed services. This Government accepts that the widespread availability of such speeds is required to deliver future economic and social development.

Following the recent publication of the Next Generation Broadband Taskforce (NGBT), and a short public consultation on its findings and recommendations, I will be bringing proposals for a National Broadband Plan to Government shortly with a view to agreeing a comprehensive set of policy actions to underpin the provision of high speed broadband services on a national basis.

Electoral Divisions (ED) Covered by the NBS in County Mayo

ADDERGOOLE ED 157002

AGHAGOWER NORTH ED 157003

AGHAGOWER SOUTH ED 157004

AGHAMORE ED 157005

AILLEMORE ED 157006

AN GEATA MOR THEAS ED 157007

AN GEATA MOR THUAIDH ED 157008

ARDNAREE NORTH ED 157010

ATTYMASS EAST ED 157012

ATTYMASS WEST ED 157013

BALLINCHALLA ED 157019

BALLYCASTLE ED 157022

BALLYCROY NORTH ED 157023

BALLYCROY SOUTH ED 157024

BALLYNAGORAHER ED 157028

BALLYOVEY ED 157029

BALLYSAKEERY ED 157030

BANGOR ED 157031

BARROOSKY ED 157032

BEKAN ED 157033

BELDERGMORE ED 157034

BELMULLET ED 157036

BOHOLA ED 157037

BRACKLOON ED 157038

BUNAVEELA ED 157040

BUNDORRAGHA ED 157041

BURRISCARRA ED 157043

CALLOW ED 157044

CAPPAGHDUFF ED 157045

CARAUN ED 157046

CARROWMORE ED 157047

CLARE ISLAND ED 157050

CLOGHER ED 157052

CLOGHER ED 157053

CLOGHERMORE ED 157054

CLOONMORE ED 157056

COOLNAHA ED 157058

COONARD ED 157059

CORRAUN ACHILL ED 157060

COURSE ED 157061

CROAGHMOYLE ED 157062

CROAGHPATRICK ED 157063

CROSSMOLINA SOUTH ED 157066

CUILDOO ED 157067

CULNACLEHA ED 157068

DALGAN ED 157069

DEEL ED 157070

DERRY ED 157071

DERRYLOUGHAN ED 157072

DOOCASTLE ED 157073

DOOEGA ED 157074

DRUMMIN ED 157075

ERRIFF ED 157077

FORTLAND ED 157078

GARRYMORE ED 157079

GLENAMOY ED 157080

GLENCASTLE ED 157081

GLENCO ED 157082

GLENHEST ED 157083

GOOLAMORE ED 157084

HOLLYMOUNT ED 157085

HOUNDSWOOD ED 157086

ISLANDEADY ED 157087

KILBEAGH ED 157088

KILCOMMON ED 157090

KILFIAN EAST ED 157091

KILFIAN SOUTH ED 157092

KILFIAN WEST ED 157093

KILGARVAN ED 157094

KILGEEVER ED 157095

KILKELLY ED 157096

KILLALA ED 157097

KILLAVALLY ED 157098

KILLEDAN ED 157099

KILMACLASSER ED 157100

KILMAINE ED 157101

KILMEENA ED 157102

KILSALLAGH ED 157104

KILVINE ED 157106

KNAPPAGH ED 157107

KNOCK SOUTH ED 157109

KNOCKADAFF ED 157110

KNOCKNALOWER ED 157111

LACKAN NORTH ED 157112

LACKAN SOUTH ED 157113

LETTERBRICK ED 157114

MAYO ED 157118

MEELICK ED 157119

MOUNT FALCON ED 157120

MUINGNABO ED 157121

MUINGS ED 157122

MURNEEN ED 157123

NEALE ED 157124

NEWBROOK ED 157125

NEWPORT EAST ED 157126

NEWPORT WEST ED 157127

OWENBRIN ED 157128

OWENNADORNAUN ED 157129

PORTROYAL ED 157131

RATHHILL ED 157132

RATHOMA ED 157133

ROSLEE ED 157134

SALLYMOUNT ED 157135

SHESKIN ED 157136

SHRULE ED 157137

SLIEVEMAHANAGH ED 157138

SONNAGH ED 157140

SRAHMORE ED 157142

TAGHEEN ED 157145

TAWNYNAGRY ED 157146

TOOCANANAGH ED 157147

TUMGESH ED 157149