Access to high-speed data transmission or broadband penetration, mainly via DSL, in Ireland at the end of 2000 was 0.1 per 100 inhabitants, according to a recent OECD report which placed Ireland twenty-fifth in the league table of 26 countries in terms of broadband status. The Government wishes to see Ireland within the top 10% of OECD countries for broadband connectivity within the next three years. To accelerate the roll-out of services by the private sector my Department has run a number of programmes in recent years. 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 introduced broadband services nationwide to a value, consisting of both public and private funding, of €70 million were supported and are now completed. These projects entailed the roll-out of broadband services in the BMW region and the south and east.