Press Release: State aid: Commission endorses public funding to bridge broadband communications gap in Ireland

The European Commission on 9 March 2006 authorised, under EC Treaty state aid rules, a programme to boost broadband availability in Ireland. Ireland was lagging behind most EU-15 Member States in broadband penetration. The Irish Government was planning to create open-access Metropolitan Area Networks ('MANs') in over 120 Irish towns at a cost of €170m, with support from EU structural funds. The European Commission concluded that the aid was not likely to distort competition within the EU significantly.