Written answers
Tuesday, 18 September 2012
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
Broadband Services Provision
Nicky McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number, if any, of applicants now remaining in the rural broadband scheme; the current status of these applicants; the measures that will be taken on behalf of these applicants and the date of same; and if he will outline the costs and disbursement of the scheme to date. [38655/12]
Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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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. This Scheme is aimed at making a basic broadband service available to un-served premises in rural non-NBS areas.
The Application Phase of the RBS closed on 29 July 2011. The Department received 5,000 applications and of these, approximately 3,700 qualified under the terms of the scheme.
The details of applicants were passed to participating companies and the companies responded to DCENR indicating where they may be able to offer services. A total of 29 companies are now participating in this part of the Scheme and a total of 2011 applicants have given their consent to receive written offers of service from the participating companies.
The following table gives an overall picture of the number of applications now in the Scheme and the distribution of those applications at county level.
| Carlow | 21 | Cavan | 45 | Clare | 115 | Cork | 146 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donegal | 151 | Dublin | 46 | Galway | 96 | Kerry | 67 |
| Kildare | 87 | Kilkenny | 40 | Laois | 70 | Leitrim | 56 |
| Limerick | 37 | Longford | 81 | Louth | 37 | Mayo | 49 |
| Meath | 97 | Monaghan | 119 | Offaly | 135 | Roscommon | 57 |
| Sligo | 42 | Tipperary | 186 | Waterford | 33 | Westmeath | 102 |
| Wexford | 67 | Wicklow | 29 | - | - | - | - |
The companies involved have sought to provide services to applicants over the period. The Department is now in the process of gathering data from the companies concerned and the outcome of the Scheme will be known shortly when all of this data has been returned. This is expected to be around the end of this month.
As the internet service companies participating in the scheme have offered services to applicants without the need for subsidy, there has been no disbursement of public money for the provision of services arising to date on the scheme.
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