The Rural Broadband Scheme closed for applications on the 29th July last. Some 4975 applications were submitted by that date and these are now being processed to ensure they comply with the Scheme's eligibility criteria viz. that the applicant's premises is located in a rural area which is not already covered by the National Broadband Scheme and that the applicant can not obtain a service from an existing commercial operator.
I am unaware of the deficiencies in the service as referred to in the Deputy's Question. The scheme's technical specifications have yet to be finalised but will mirror what is available currently under the National Broadband Scheme. This is essentially a basic broadband service with contractually agreed speeds.
Ireland is on target to meet the first of the EU's Digital Agenda milestones of having a basic broadband service available to all areas by 2013, through a mix of private and public (NBS and RBS) interventions.