Dermot Ahern Lies To Get Headlines (not for the first time eh!)

Yesterday, Ahern announced an €25 Million Group BB Scheme Budget , in your dreams

It seems from the document from the DCMNR website linked below that only 40 projects will be funded during the 2003 Financial year. The 2003 fund is €2 million and not €25 million and the 40 projects get 50k max each towards the kit. Only the BMW region gets 55% funding, if you set up a GBS in county Dublin you would get 17% from Ahern.

The DCMNR has further allowed €ircon to take up to 800k of the total fund .........they could do 10 echanges for that money . With the rolling evaluation period it appears that the first tranche could be evaluated next month (April) but it is more likely that the evaluations will be published in June and onwards and that the second tranche will be in 2004 .

Excerpted Conditions.

vi) It is envisaged that the funding
offered to a single GBS project
proposal under this call shall not
exceed €50,000.

(iv) Up to €2 million may be made
available to GBS projects under the
first call.

(x) The funding available to any one
service provider shall not exceed 40%
of the total funding available for the
call.


http://www.dcmnr.gov.ie/files/commgbs0304.pdf

Full Conditions.

The key characteristics of a GBS project
should be:
• the local community, comprising of
local community organisations, local
development groups and/or local
businesses, takes a leading role in
driving the local GBS project, in
partnership with a broadband internet
service provider;
• meets the current and projected needs
of the end-users in a community;
• a sustainable service – the service is
technically and commercially viable on
an on-going basis after initial start-up
support;
• implementation of the group scheme
is focused and readily achievable;
• a cost effective approach which
minimises the public funding
requirement; and,
• exploits existing resources, such as
existing infrastructure or services,
where suitable.
Background & Objectives
The widespread availability of high-speed, affordable,
flat-rate, always-on internet access, referred to as
‘broadband’, is central to the development of Ireland
as a knowledge and information society.
Outline of a Group
Broadband Scheme (GBS)
(i) The GBS will be implemented on a
rolling, phased basis. Calls for project
proposals will be issued regularly over
three years (e.g. on average once
every 6 months).
(ii) One or more local community
organisations and a broadband
internet service provider (BISP) will
form a partnership to prepare, submit
and implement a GBS project for the
local community, where that
community is not being provided with
an adequate broadband service (at the
time of application).
(iii) The initiative aims to promote a
partnership approach by local
community interests (e.g. local
businesses, chambers of commerce,
city/county development boards,
Leader groups, etc) and broadband
internet service providers. An individual
GBS proposal will consist of at least
one local community organisation and
one broadband internet service
provider. A number of communities
can combine with a service provider to
submit a joint proposal.
(iv) Up to €2 million may be made
available to GBS projects under the
first call.
(v) The Minister will offer, subject to
conditions, grant support to the
participating broadband internet
service provider in a local GBS project
in respect of the capital costs
associated with the provision of a
broadband service. (This would
include broadband access network
infrastructure and some customer
premises equipment.)1 The grant
support for capital costs will be
subject to the limits set out in the
table below.
(vi) It is envisaged that the funding
offered to a single GBS project
proposal under this call shall not
exceed €50,000.
(vii) In the first call, eligible communities
with populations up to 1,500 (based
on CSO 2002 Census data) may apply.
Communities can combine up to this
level of population.
(viii) Funding will be available to be drawn
down by the selected projects over a
period of 12 months (from the
commencement date of the grant
agreement with the Minister) on a
two-phased basis on foot of:
(1) the launching of the broadband
service in the community; and,
(2) the attainment of the minimum
number of projected subscribers.(x) The funding available to any one
service provider shall not exceed 40%
of the total funding available for the
call.
This phased basis is to encourage a
timely provision and take-up of service
by the local community.
(ix) The participants in funded projects
may be required to provide material
(e.g. project details, project results)
for public information (e.g. for other
communities considering participation
in subsequent calls for proposals) as
well as for project auditing.

I have also linked the bit where he was spouting at the FF conference ,
Here , be fully prepared for the FF yahoos when they come to the door canvassing.

M