Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 May 2004
93 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position with regard to the roll-out of broadband nationally, with specific regard to his Department’s schools broadband action plan, and the plan to deliver broadband to homes here; if he will back up his claims that Ireland can be at the top of the OECD table for broadband connectivity by 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13679/04]
View answerThe provision of and investment in telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter in the first instance for the private sector companies operating in a fully liberalised marketplace, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation. It is important that the regulatory environment underpins the development of available, affordable and competitive broadband services. In that regard I issued a policy direction on 26 March 2004 to the Commission for Communications Regulation stating that our broadband goal is to be at or better than the EU average, excluding accession countries, for end user access to and usage of broadband by mid-2005.
While recent reports show that Ireland lags behind our European neighbours in terms of broadband penetration, there is evidence of significant growth in take-up of broadband in Ireland in the past year. The number of broadband subscribers has risen tenfold from less than 5,000 in January 2003 to about 50,000 currently, in large part due to improved pricing by service providers. Recognising, however, that the market has been slow to respond to demand for broadband, since 1999 my Department has invested almost €170 million in partnership with the public and private sectors in infrastructure projects that will enable the provision of modern, high-speed broadband communications in the regions.
Currently, my Department is providing grant aid for the construction of 25 fibre-optic metropolitan area networks, in conjunction with local authorities, in key regional towns and cities. This investment of more than €80 million will enable the delivery of competitive, open-access, broadband services in these towns.
On 12 December last I announced a broadband action plan which has two main elements: first, proposals to roll out open-access broadband infrastructure to more than 90 towns with a population of over 1,500; and second, the development of a group broadband scheme which will provide grant aid for community-led initiatives promoting the roll-out of broadband access in small towns, villages and rural hinterlands. I have secured a commitment of €35 million each year from now until 2007 to ensure the implementation of this action plan.
With regard to the provision of broadband to schools, the Government has reached agreement with the telecommunications industry as represented by IBEC-TIF for the establishment of a joint Government-IBEC-TIF fund to resource the provision of high speed broadband connectivity to all first and second level schools nationwide. Under the proposed agreement, IBEC-TIF members will contribute €15 million to a joint Government-IBEC-TIF fund of €18 million. This fund will be used to provide broadband connectivity to all schools over a three year period. The public tendering process for this connectivity has begun with the despatch to the Official Journal of the European Communities on 8 April 2004 of a prior information notice. The target is to complete this tendering process in the latter half of 2004 and to complete roll-out by end 2005. The conclusion and implementation of this agreement will greatly enhance the potential of ICT in teaching and learning in schools and will drive demand and deployment of broadband technologies and ICTs within the wider community.
