Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to extend the provision of broadband to an area (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9874/13]

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 website of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) at www.callcosts.ie. Decisions by Eircom relating to investment in infrastructure to provide broadband services, including the upgrading of local exchanges, are taken purely on commercial grounds and as such are not one in which I have a statutory role.

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.

The State only becomes involved in the provision of services in instances of clear market failure, such as in the case of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) and the Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS). My Department entered into a contract in late 2008 with Hutchison 3G Ireland Ltd (“3”) for the delivery of the NBS. The Scheme offers a basic broadband service, in line with EU State aid clearance, to fixed residences and businesses located within certain designated Electoral Divisions. In County Clare, NBS services are available within 49 of its 155 Electoral Divisions, including the general area of Lissycasey. Fixed residences and businesses in the area can therefore apply for a broadband connection from “3” under the NBS. Lissycasey is not covered under the RBS which was aimed at making a basic broadband service available to un-served premises in rural areas, not already covered by the NBS.

In addition to consumer services, a State-funded Metropolitan Area Network which provides high capacity fibre connectivity for businesses and telecoms operators is located in Kilrush in County Clare.

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, and the focus is now on accelerating the roll out of high speed services.

The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August last, 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.

Specifically, it commits to:

- 70Mbps to 100Mbps 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, and

- A minimum of 30Mbps for every remaining home and business in 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 inform the level of Government interaction that may be required and the areas that need to be targeted for a State-led investment. It will also form a critical input to an EU State Aid application in respect of any State-led intervention.

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.

I would reiterate that the Government remains committed to the delivery of the speeds referred to above, to ensure that all parts of Ireland, including County Clare, will have at least 30Mbps connectivity.