Richard Bruton
Question:60 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has satisfied herself with the delivery of broadband telecommunications to the regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4420/02]
Written Answers. - Telecommunications Services.
Denis Naughten
Question:75 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Public Enterprise her plans to address the broadband accessibility deficit in the BMW region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1802/02]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:145 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has satisfied herself that all possible modern telecommunications features are available or likely to become available in the short-term to the domestic and business sector; her future proposals and policy in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4823/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 60, 75 and 145 together.
The provision of telecommunications services, including Internet services, is a matter in the first instance for the companies who now operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated by the independent Director of Telecommunications Regulation. My responsibility is for public policy in the sector within which these companies operate. My Department has responsibility for the communications and e-commerce measure of the national development plan. Under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, the figure allocated to telecommunications initiatives was €200 million. A first call for proposals was run in 2000 and, on foot of submissions received, I signed nine contracts at the beginning of last year which will result in additional investment in the regions in broadband infrastructure with a grant allocation of €30 million, leveraging an investment of €70 million in the BMW region. Details of these programmes are available on the internet at www.ndpcomms.gov.ie.
I ran a second call for proposals last year with a submission date for proposals at the end of October 2001. The second call, as well as seeking private sector submissions, allowed for submissions by local authorities to provide open-access telecommunications infrastructure. Proposals received have been evaluated independently and, on foot of this evaluation, a number of local authorities have been asked to commence non-binding procurement processes. It is likely that a number of private sector submissions to the second call will also be supported.