The provision of broadband services is mainly a matter for private sector service providers operating in a liberalised market, regulated by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).
It continues to be a priority of the Government that there will be broadband coverage across the entire country. In that regard my Department has undertaken initiatives to address the gaps in broadband coverage. These include providing grant-aid under the recently concluded Group Broadband Scheme and investment in Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) in towns and cities under the Regional Broadband Programme.
Under the Group Broadband Scheme (GBS), which was launched in 2004, 127 broadband projects are operational and the grantees received €3.1 million in grant aid.
Under the Metropolitan Area Network (MANs) Programme, Phase I, the Department offered grant aid to Local Authorities of €78 million for the construction of 27 high speed, open access fibre optic networks. All twenty-seven MANs have been completed under the first phase and are currently being managed by ENet, the Managed Services Entity.
€35 million has been spent to date on broadband initiatives during 2007 on Phase II of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). Construction is currently under way in 66 towns under this Phase and contracts have been signed by Local authorities for a further €65 million.
My Department is currently undertaking a Value for Money and Policy Review of Phase I of the MANs programme. This review will help to inform decisions on the future allocation of the National Development Plan envelope for broadband infrastructure.
Expenditure on broadband infrastructure and services by my Department amounted to €26 million in 2004, €19 million in 2005 and €32 million in 2006.
An indicative €435 million of Exchequer funds has been provided for the Communications and Broadband Programme in the 2007-2013 National Development Plan. It is not possible at this stage to give a detailed breakdown of the approximately €400 million that remains to be allocated over the period of the Plan. Some of this allocation will be expended on the National Broadband scheme and on commitments under Phase II of the MANs.