Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 October 2004
217 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his proposals for ensuring the widespread provision of broadband services (details supplied) to areas in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26509/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter in the first instance for the private sector companies operating in a fully liberalised market, under the regulation of ComReg, the Commission for Communications Regulation.
In its report on Ireland's Broadband Future, published in December 2003, the Information Society Commission concluded that the market has failed to respond to the demand for broadband connectivity, and there is a proven need for Government intervention to accelerate the provision of infrastructure and the driving of demand.
My Department's broadband action plan, which was launched in December last, will see broadband connectivity rolled out to over 90 towns with a population of 1,500 and over, using community broadband exchanges and strategic fibre. A spend of €35 million each year from now until 2007 has been committed to the broadband action plan. Five towns in Kildare, Kilcullen, Kildare, Maynooth, Newbridge and Rathangan, have submitted proposals under the current call for proposals and are being evaluated.
In addition to this initiative, the group broadband scheme, which was launched in March last, will allow smaller communities to pool their requirements and obtain broadband connectivity from a range of service providers, with €25 million in funding assistance from Government. Full details of the broadband rollout programme are on my Department's websites, www.dcmnr.ie and www.gbs.gov.ie.
