Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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128. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if there are towns to be added to the MANs scheme; if these towns will be identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20194/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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There are no plans to add further towns to the Metropolitan Area Networks programme at this time.

The Government however recognises the need to ensure that high speed broadband is available in all parts of Ireland to underpin economic growth, enable eCommerce and greater connectivity for citizens generally. To this end, the National Broadband Plan, which I published in August last, aims to ensure that high speed services of at least 30Mbps are available to all of our citizens and businesses.

Specifically, the Plan 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 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. Since the publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector operators are underway in both fixed line and mobile high speed broadband 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. In an important milestone towards delivery of this commitment in the Plan, my Department will appoint, in the next few days, a team of experts to assist it in the design, planning and procurement of the State-led investment. Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations including stakeholder engagement will be ongoing throughout 2013 with a view to launch of a procurement process in 2014.

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 businesses can participate fully in a digitally enabled society.