Further EU funding of £8 million is to be made available for investment in telecommunications infrastructure, according to the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke. The funding is in addition to some £10 million already made available under EU structural funds programmes for investment in this area. The funds will be available for projects aimed at the development of broadband telecommunications networks to support advanced telecommunications services in areas where the market alone would be unlikely to provide such services, over the medium term at least. When associated private sector investment is counted in, total investment in the area supported by the £18 million in EU funding is expected to amount to more than £50 million.

" Go-ahead and innovative market proposals for infrastructure projects which would promote the development of the Information Society will be favoured for receipts of these funds," according to the Minister. The funds will be allocated under the tender process which is currently being managed on an independent basis by a consultancy consortium.

Already 13 tenders have been received.