Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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240. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 21 of 8 May 2013, the reason there was no reported spend under the broadband element of the rural development programme 2007-2013; if it is intended to spend this money in the next two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23294/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS) was launched in 2011 in recognition of the fact that despite the widespread availability of broadband throughout Ireland, there still remained individual premises that were unable to receive a service. This Scheme was aimed at making a basic broadband service available to un-served premises in rural areas, not already covered by the National Broadband Scheme. An amount of €13,413,000 EAFRD funding was allocated to the scheme which came within the remit of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

During the scheme development process existing commercial internet service providers indicated their ability to provide a broadband service to almost all of the qualifying applicants under the scheme. Consequently there has been no need for any disbursement of public money and no related draw-down of EU funding was necessary. The EAFRD funding originally made available for this scheme may be re-allocated to other qualifying measures under the Rural Development Programme. Adjustments will accordingly be made to the Programme Financial Plan in order to achieve the fullest possible draw down of EU funds having regard to the availability of matching national funding.