Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the current rating of quality speed and standard of broadband here when compared with other EU jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5026/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The most recently published statistical report published by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), for the period July-September 2012, reports that 75% of broadband customers in Ireland have contracted for marketed broadband services in a range between 2-10 Mbps and a further 21% have contracted at speeds exceeding 10 Mbps. EU Commission statistics, published on its digital scoreboard website, which compare marketed broadband speeds across the EU 27 ranks Ireland at 84% access in a range between 2-10 Mbps compared to the EU average of 87% in this range. In the case of speeds at or exceeding 10 Mbps, the EU Commission reports 29% availability over fixed lines in Ireland compared to an EU average of 48%.

It can be noted however that the EU Commission reports are based on 2011 data. The more recent ComReg report notes an overall trend of customers contracting at higher speeds. The proportion of customers contracting at or below 2 Mbps fell from 7% - to 5% of all subscriptions between Q3 2011 and Q3 2012. I welcome this trend towards higher speeds which is consistent with the commitment set in the National Broadband Plan, which I published on the 30th August last year, to ensure 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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he has identified the existence of particular black spots throughout the country in relation to the availability of broadband services; when he expects such issues to be addressed in full with particular reference to meeting the needs of the business, domestic and commercial sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5027/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Considerable progress has been made in recent years in both the coverage and speeds of national broadband infrastructure, with a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. The Government has also undertaken a number of initiatives to bring broadband to those parts of the country where commercial operators have been unable to offer services. The combination of private investment and State interventions means that Ireland has met the EU Commission’s Digital Agenda for Europe target of having a basic broadband service available to all areas by 2013.

The Government, through the National Broadband Plan, which I published on 30 August last year, has recognised that the key imperative now is to ensure high speed broadband availability to all. The Plan commits to high speed broadband availability across the country 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. Ireland is now therefore moving to a new phase of public and private sector investment in broadband in Ireland which will see significantly improved speeds delivered across the country.

During the preparation of Ireland’s 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 commercial sector is already making these investments in high speed services, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas. The Government is also committed in the Plan to investing in areas where high speed services are not commercially viable and will not be provided by the market.

My Department is making preparations to commence a formal national mapping exercise to identify where the market is expected to succeed and fail in the delivery of high speed broadband over the coming years. This will inform the level of Government interaction that may be required and the areas that need to be targeted for a State-led investment. Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, we are committed to increasing the availability of next generation speeds significantly, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and business can participate fully in a digitally enabled society.