Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of the recent publication of the new National Broadband Plan, the plans in place to bring high speed broadband to an area (details supplied) in County Kildare; the process that residents in this area should follow to secure such a service; if his attention has been drawn to the current service levels in this area; the number of applications from this area that were received for the rural broadband scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40743/12]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of the recent publication of the new National Broadband Plan, the plans in place to bring high speed broadband to an area (details supplied) in County Kildare; the process that residents in this area should follow to secure such a service; if his attention has been drawn to the current service levels in this area; the number of applications from this area that were received for the rural broadband scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40744/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together.

The specific areas referred to in the Deputy’s question are covered by the on-going National Broadband Scheme (NBS) provided by 3 Ireland. Under the terms of the NBS contract, 3 is obliged to provide contractually-agreed services to any fixed residence or fixed business wishing to avail of broadband services.

The current minimum speeds available to NBS customers will be increased next month free of charge to 2.3mbps download and 1.4mbps upload.

As a result of these areas being part of the NBS, residents were not eligible for inclusion in the current Rural Broadband Scheme.

The Government’s recently-published National Broadband Plan aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed services of at least 30Mbps are available to all of our citizens and businesses well in advance of the EU's target date of 2020, and that significantly higher speeds are available to as many homes and businesses as possible.

The Plan commits to high speed broadband availability across the country – specifically:

70Mbps – 100Mbps will be available from the commercial market operators to more than half of the population by 2015;

At least 40Mbps, and in many cases faster speeds, to at least a further 20% (and potentially as much as 35%) of the population during the lifetime of the Government; and

A minimum of 30Mbps for every remaining home and business in the country, also during the lifetime of the Government.

During the preparation of the National Broadband Plan, the commercial market operators indicated that they expect to provide 70Mbps to 100Mbps services to 50% of the population by 2015. The areas to be provided with those services will be determined by the commercial market operators.

One of the first steps in delivering on the 30Mbps and 40Mbps commitments will be the completion of a formal national mapping exercise to determine the exact position in relation to commercial service providers' existing and planned broadband services throughout the country. Preparatory work has commenced within my Department to expedite this mapping exercise.

The mapping exercise will identify the areas of the country where there is market failure in the provision of high speed broadband services. It will also identify where the market is expected to succeed and fail in the delivery of high speed broadband over the coming years. Until that process is complete, (it is expected to take a number of months) the precise areas of the country which will require State intervention will not be known.

I would reiterate however, that the Government remains committed to the delivery of the speeds referred to above, to ensure that all parts of Ireland, including areas such as Fontstown and Ballyshannon County Kildare will have at least 30Mbps connectivity.