Vol. 555 No. 3
193 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if extra resources will be allocated from his Department to Drogheda in consideration of the massive population increase that now makes Drogheda the largest town in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18547/02]
Support to date for infrastructural investment in Drogheda under my Department's expenditure programmes includes funding made available to Drogheda Port Company for infrastructure and capacity development under the seaports measure of the BMW operational programme. Drogheda is also one of the target urban areas for the roll-out of broadband infrastructure and services across the regions.
An advance allocation of €1.664 million to Drogheda Port Company was approved in December 2001 in respect of the Tom Roe's Point Phase 1 completion development in Drogheda. This is a €6.6 million project and the port company was awarded 40% funding, subject to a maximum of €2.641 million under the infrastructure and capacity sub-measure of the seaports measure of the BMW regional operational programme of the National Development Plan, 2000-2006. Further applications for NDP funding by Drogheda Port Company are currently under consideration at my Department.
In relation to telecommunications, Drogheda is among the priority towns that have been targeted for the first phase of the broadband programme, as outlined below. The provision of telecommunications services is critical to delivery of e-business services. The provision of such 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 telecommunications sector within which these companies operate.
However, recognising that there are areas of the country that are not as economically attractive for firms to invest in infrastructure and services, my Department has undertaken a number of initiatives to facilitate the roll-out of advanced communications infrastructure which seek to address gaps in communications infrastructure in regional Ireland.
In 1999, under the National Development Plan 1994-1999 and INTERREG II, €26.5 million was made available to support the roll-out of broadband to the regions. Thirteen projects which rolled-out broadband nationwide to a value, both public and private funding, of €70 million were supported and have recently been completed. These projects entailed the roll-out of broadband services in the Border, midlands and west region and the south and east region.
On foot of submissions received under the first call for proposals in 2000, nine contracts were signed with telecommunications operators in 2001 which will result in additional investment in the regions including Drogheda in broadband infrastructure and increased availability of broadband services for business and residential users. The projects involved are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year and will entail an overall investment of €160 million in broadband infrastructure leveraged from grant assistance of approximately €55 million.
