Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 19 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 4

Written Answers. - Telecommunications Services.

Jimmy Deenihan

Ceist:

13 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has satisfied herself that the County Kerry region has sufficient broad-band capacity to attract large scale telecommunications industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22623/00]

Michael Creed

Ceist:

16 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the difficulty which people living in rural areas in particular have securing telecommunications infrastructure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20973/00]

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

34 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the Government proposals in relation to the provision of broad-band and advanced telecommunications infrastructure in the County Cavan and County Monaghan regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22705/00]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 16 and 34 together.

The provision of telecommunications services is a matter in the first instance for the companies who now operate in a fully liberalised market. My responsibility is for public policy in the sector within which these companies operate. The widest possible availability of competitive services has traditionally been an important objective of Irish telecommunications policy. I have, in recent years, put in place a number of initiatives, which seek to address gaps in communications infrastructure in Ireland, particularly those in rural areas.

Under the National Development Plan 1994-1999, £21 million was made available to support the roll-out of broad-band to the regions. This figure has been significantly increased under the National Development Plan, 2000-2006, to £147 million. The allocation of this funding is the responsibility of my Department. Funding under this communications and e-commerce measure of the NDP will be utilised to leverage and accelerate investment in competitive advanced information and communications infrastructure and services which will enhance the potential for the development of electronic commerce facilities and enable the electronic provision of public services, including education services, virtual libraries, welfare and health services.

A competition has been run by my Department to allocate the first £77 million of the funding. The competition process was executed over the summer months, with a closing date of 22 September last. Given the liberalised nature of the telecommunications sector, the competition was run on the basis of public sector co-funding of network extensions to regional areas where it would not be commercially viable to do so at this point in time. The competition criteria specifically award points for the provision of services in deficit areas and the removal of regional barriers. Such criteria promote the inclusion of rural areas and villages in project proposals by telecommunications operators.

An extensive mail-out of information surrounded the call for proposals. All communications operators were informed of the possibilities presented by the competition for developing broad-band networks in the Border, midlands, west and south and east regions. Business and community leaders throughout the BMW region in organisations such as chambers of commerce, local authorities and development agencies were also informed of the opportunities available through both the lobbying of and the developing of partnerships with telecommunications companies. A large number of project submissions from the regions have been received. The submissions are currently being assessed and evaluated at arms length by independent consultants under the competition criteria. It is anticipated that contracts on selected projects will be signed before the end of the year and work on further extensions to broad-band networks will start early next year.