Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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143. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding broadband in an area (details supplied). [52358/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Ireland's telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The provision of mobile telecommunications services networks within the competitive market is subject to a requirement to secure a wireless telegraphy licence to access the required radio spectrum. The award of such licenses, the imposition of terms and conditions to access that spectrum and the associated monitoring of compliance by licensed providers with those terms and conditions are matters for the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), which is independent in the exercise of its functions. Accordingly, I have no statutory function in this matter. However, I expect that with the continued significant capital investments being made by mobile operators, the quality of mobile services will continue to improve across the country. I note in this regard that a number of mobile operators have made announcements regarding network upgrades. I can also confirm that the areas referred to by the Deputy are included in the National Broadband Scheme (NBS). The objective of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS), which was launched in 2008, following a competitive tendering process, was to provide access to affordable, scalable broadband services to rural areas, where operators had been unable to offer services on a commercial basis. Under the terms of the contract which my Department has in place with "3", the NBS service provider, the NBS mobile wireless service is required to offer minimum download and upload speeds of 2.3Mbps and 1.4Mbps respectively, subject to a maximum contention ratio of 18:1. The NBS satellite service, which is utilised in a small number of cases for technical reasons associated with the location of the premises, offers minimum download and upload speeds of 3.6Mbps and 384 kbps respectively, subject to a maximum contention ratio of 48:1.

All persons located within the NBS Coverage Area can avail of the NBS service by contacting "3", the NBS Service Provider on 1800 944 791, online at or by calling into one of 3’s authorised retail outlets.

The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August 2012, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses. This will be achieved by providing:

- a policy and regulatory framework that assists in accelerating and incentivising commercial investment, and

- a State-led investment for areas where it is not commercial for the market to invest.

Since the publication of the Plan, there is evidence that industry is investing beyond the targets to which they committed in the Plan. eircom has extended its plans for the rollout of high speed services, with speeds of up to 100Mbps to 1.4m premises, UPC has increased its minimum and top speed products to 120Mbps and 200Mbps respectively, and mobile operators are rolling out enhanced product offerings, including 4G mobile. Other operators continue to invest and ESB is currently considering the prospect of utilising its distribution network to rollout fibre broadband services.

These developments have been facilitated through the implementation of measures in the National Broadband Plan, including the conclusion of ComReg's multiband spectrum auction, and the new regulatory regime for fixed line Next Generation Access and service bundles. Both of these measures are designed to incentivise the rollout of services by operators.

In tandem with these developments, intensive work is underway in my Department to progress a State-led investment to secure the countrywide introduction of next generation broadband access. In order to progress the State-led investment for areas where it is not commercial for the market to invest, a full procurement process must be designed and EU State Aids approval must be obtained. My Department is engaged in a comprehensive mapping exercise of the current and anticipated investment by the commercial sector over the coming years, the results of which will inform the areas that need to be targeted in the State-led investment as envisaged in the National Broadband Plan.

Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations, including stakeholder engagement, are ongoing. The procurement process for the approved intervention will be carried out in accordance with EU and Irish procurement rules and it is expected that it will be launched in 2014.

Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, I am committed to ensuring that all parts of Ireland have access to high speed broadband, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and businesses can participate fully in, and maximise the benefits of, a digitally enabled economy and society.