David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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9. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the total cost of delivering the metropolitan area networks, MANs; if all 88 MANs are now lit; the numbers of persons and businesses using the MANs infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11656/14]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The cost to the State of delivering the Metropolitan Area Networks or MANs Programme is in the region of €176 million. The Programme was eligible for co-funding of 40% to 50% under the European Regional Development Fund. Phase I of the MANs programme delivered optical fibre based networks to twenty eight towns and cities around the country. The total capital cost of Phase I of the Programme was €85 million. Phase II of the MANs programme delivered a further sixty fibre networks serving sixty-six towns. The total capital cost of Phase II of the Programme is €91.5 million. The MANs are managed, maintained and operated by e|net, who were appointed as Concessionaire following a procurement process in 2004 for the Phase I MANs and in 2009 for the Phase II MANs. e|net makes the networks available to the telecommunications sector on an open access basis.

Of the 88 MANs, 83 are currently “lit”, that is, connected to backhaul and in use by one or more licensed telecoms service providers. The final Phase II MAN, Kinsale, will shortly be handed over to e|net. The MANs that are not currently lit are available and ready to meet demand for services as it arises. e|net is a commercial organisation and information on traffic on the MANs is commercially sensitive. However, it is estimated that in excess of 600,000 individuals and business users are currently benefitting from the MANs infrastructure. The number of connections to the MANs has doubled in recent years and over 50 service providers are using the MANs infrastructure.

Since the inception of the MANs Programme, demand for bandwidth has increased significantly and this increase is expected to continue. Almost all broadband service providers are increasingly turning to optical fibre to backbone their networks. Service providers will continue to bring optical fibre closer to their end users. The MANs are ready to meet the demand for fibre connectivity and are well placed to serve the needs of service providers and their end users for the foreseeable future. I propose to attach for the Official Report a table setting out a list of the MANs, the construction completion date for each MAN and the current status of each MAN.

Phase One Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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12. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to improve broadband services in County Donegal through the national broadband scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11499/14]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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16. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the mapping process being undertaken as part of the national broadband plan; the timeline for completion of same; the way he believes it will improve the services to many parts of rural Ireland which remain without a satisfactory broadband service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10850/14]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 16 together.

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 including those in County Donegal. 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, investments by the commercial sector are underway and in some instances have been accelerated in both fixed line and wireless high speed broadband services. In the fixed line segment of the market, eircom has announced plans to pass 1.4m addresses with its next generation broadband service, with speeds of up to 100Mbps, while UPC has increased its entry level and maximum speeds to 120Mbps and 200Mbps respectively. Mobile operators have also made announcements regarding network upgrades and are rolling out enhanced product offerings. The ESB Electronic Communications Bill, will, when enacted, enable the ESB to utilise its electricity distribution network to provide telecommunications services and is a further step in promoting investment in competitively priced high speed broadband.

Many of 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 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, including a comprehensive mapping exercise, continues in my Department in relation to the 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.

Under the national mapping exercise, information has been sought from all undertakings authorised by ComReg in relation to current and planned broadband services, both basic and next generation access (NGA). Mapping data has been submitted to my Department by a total of 23 operators and the process of analysing the data and supporting information is continuing. The mapping data is being assessed on a case-by-case basis, having regard to the EU State Aid Guidelines. When all of the information has been analysed, a clear picture should emerge of coverage throughout all of the country. I expect that this process will be completed later this year, after which it is my intention to publish a map showing existing and planned NGA broadband coverage, along with the Government’s proposals for a State-led intervention to roll out high speed broadband across the country. 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 later 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.