Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his Department together with its sectoral regulator Comreg, has commenced the bid/auction stage of the Multiband Spectrum award process and if he anticipates that any Revenue will accrue to the Exchequer in the current financial year. [47277/12]

Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the advantages and uses that the frequencies and spectrum vacated by the analogue TV services will now be used for; the benefits to the State in technical advances and in money terms that he expects to accrue over the next ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47615/12]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has been briefed by ComReg on whether the 4G auction and bidding for spectrum has begun; when the process will be completed; his views on whether, in effect, two networks are competing for four spectrum blocks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47634/12]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when 4G services will be made available here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47635/12]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if there been any consideration of investing the proceeds of the auction of the 28 blocks of spectrum frequencies by ComReg into capital projects in his Department such as broadband infrastructure, green energy or retrofitting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47660/12]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the minimum expected yield from the auction of spectrum frequencies by ComReg if all 28 blocks are sold; the projected yield; if the moneys will be retained by ComReg, returned to his Department or returned to the Central Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47667/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 623, 627 to 629, inclusive, 631 and 633 together.

The management of the radio spectrum is a statutory function of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) under the Communications Regulation Act, 2002 as amended.

I am advised by ComReg that the 800MHz spectrum which was allocated for use in broadcasting analogue television signals, until 24 October 2012, is included in ComReg’s Multi-Band Spectrum Award which is currently under way.

This award process, initiated by the publication by ComReg of the Information Memorandum on 25 May 2012, is a vital step in allowing for the next generation of advance mobile services to be made available for Irish consumers and businesses. Roll out of 4G is one of the key elements of the Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August. This 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.

The level of spectrum fees that will be generated by the Multi-Band Spectrum Award process will be determined by the eventual level of demand expressed in the auction. I am, therefore, not in a position to speculate on the amounts that will be generated.

Regarding the date of rollout of 4G services, this will be a matter for the relevant telecommunications companies.

The Communications Regulation Act 2002, as amended, provides that licence fee income received by ComReg is paid by it into the Exchequer after provision is made for the operating expenses of ComReg. There is no statutory basis to utilise the revenue directly to fund capital projects. The capital programmes of Government Departments, including my own Department, are generally funded from central Exchequer resources.