Vol. 540 No. 1
188 An Leas-Cheann Comhairle asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the plans her Department or agencies under the aegis of her Department have to further improve broad-band communications in the Border midlands and west region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19949/01]
The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband services, is a matter in the first instance for the companies which 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 that seek to address gaps in communications infrastructure in Ireland, particularly by bringing broadband connectivity to regional and rural areas.
Under the National Development Plan, 1994-1999, 26 million was made available to support the roll-out of broadband to the regions. Thirteen projects that rolled out broadband nationwide were supported and are now nearing completion. These projects entailed the roll-out of broadband services in the BMW region and included works by Eircom, Chorus and ESAT in most counties, with a total investment of approximately 35 million.
The figure allocated to telecommunications initiatives has been significantly increased to 200 million under the National Development Plan, 2000-2006. Two-thirds of this allocation will be spent in the BMW region. A first call for proposals was run last year and on foot of submissions received I signed nine contracts at the beginning of the year, which will result in additional investment in the regions in broadband infrastructure. The projects involved will be completed over the next two years and will entail an overall investment of 80 million in broadband in the BMW leveraged from grant assistance of approximately 35 million. Additional services involving a number of broadband technologies will be provided throughout the region by ESAT, Chorus, Nevadatele, Crossan Cable and ESB Telecom. Additional details of these projects are available at www.ndpcomms.gov.ie. Further calls for proposals for investment in the BMW will be issued in 2001.
