Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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434. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures contained in the progress report on reducing the costs of high speed broadband under the Irish EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36166/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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On the 27 March last the EU Commission submitted a “Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on measures to reduce the cost of deploying high-speed electronic communications networks”, to the Transport and Telecommunications Council.

Given the lateness of publication during the Irish Presidency and the already busy workload of the Telecommunications Working Party, it was not possible to discuss this proposal in detail. There was a formal presentation of the proposal by the Commission and some discussion among Member States on the proposal's impact assessment. Delegations presented preliminary views only, as national consultations were still ongoing at the time.

It was therefore not possible to draw firm or even tentative conclusions on the file at the time of Council on the 6^th June last. The Progress Report to Council reflected this position. I do accept that this is an important proposal by the Commission and look forward to its consideration under the Lithuanian Presidency.