Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 December 2013
228. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide details in tabular form of the different publicly provided metropolitan area networks in the country; the year of completion; the total cost of the MAN; the year that the MAN was lit; if that is the case, details of the volume of traffic on the MAN; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51729/13]
View answerA table of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) and their respective locations, the year of completion and year lit for each MAN is attached.The MANs Programme, which was eligible for co-funding of 40-50% under the European Regional Development Fund, has cost in the region of €176 million to date. Phase I of the MANs programme delivered optical fibre networks to twenty eight towns and cities around the country. The total capital cost of Phase I of the MANs programme was approximately €85 million (€76m of which was met by my Department and €9m of which was met by the local authorities).
Phase II of the MANs programme delivered a further sixty optical fibre networks serving sixty-six towns and cities. The total capital cost of Phase II of the MANs programme was approximately €91.5 million (€82.3m of which was met by my Department and €9.2m of which was met by the local authorities). It is not possible to give a breakdown of the cost of each MAN. However, details of the capital cost by region for each MANs project are set out in the table attached.
The Phase I and Phase II MANs are managed, operated and maintained by e|net, who make the networks available to the telecommunications sector on a wholesale basis. These operators include service providers who, in turn, provide mobile and fixed line broadband services for customers and businesses in these regions. e|net is a commercial organisation and information on traffic on the MANs is commercially sensitive. Of the 88 MANs, 83 are currently “lit”, that is, connected to backhaul and in use by one or more telecoms service providers. It is estimated that in excess of 600,000 individuals and business users are benefitting from the MANs infrastructure.
