Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 28 Jun 2000

Vol. 522 No. 3

Written Answers. - Communications Infrastructure.

Michael Ring

Ceist:

83 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if the access point for the broadband infrastructure links will be located in the town of Westport to facilitate local businesses rather than them having to pay for a leased line to the nearest broadband access point; and when the links will be in place for use. [18632/00]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke):

The Deputy will be aware that the provision of communications infrastructure is primarily a matter for operators in the newly liberalised telecommunications market.

Recognising that in certain regions of the country competition alone would not provide the required advanced communications and services investment, my Department administered a num ber of calls under the economic infrastructure operational programme 1994-99 and INTERREG II to facilitate the investment in the rollout of advanced communications infrastructure. Following these calls 13 projects received approximately 26 million euros in European funding, leveraging a further 42 million euros of private sector investment. Eircom received EIOP co-funding for one of these projects to rollout 32 km of fibre optic cable through a number of towns, one of which was Westport. This project is to be completed by 31 December 2000 and will provide Westport with a broadband, backbone access point through an SDH transmission multiplex.

Under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, a provision of up to £150 million of EU Structural Funds and Exchequer funds was made to facilitate further investment in communications and e-commerce infrastructure and services. The first call for proposals under the new NDP investment measures was issued on 26 June 2000.