State's broadband take-up 'among the lowest in EU'

The State's broadband coverage was described as "shameful" by Seán Crowe (SF, Dublin South West).

"The European Commission recently criticised Ireland for being one of the slowest movers in the provision and usage of internet technology. If the Government is committed to the idea of a knowledge-based economy, why is broadband take-up in Ireland among the lowest in the European Union?"

Minister of State for Communications John Browne conceded that broadband providers in Ireland were slow in launching competitive, affordable broadband in comparison with other European states.

"The lack of competition between providers and the reduction in investment in infrastructure in the aftermath of the dot-com crash, weakened the initial roll-out by providers here," said Mr Browne. "The situation, however, is improving rapidly and the level of take-up is consistent with the stage of development of the market. Ireland is now the fastest growing broadband economy in the EU."

Mr Browne said that the latest ComReg quarterly report stated there were 270,700 broadband subscribers, equivalent to 6.6 per cent of the population, at the end of last year. There were also an estimated 0.6 million narrow-band users.

He said that internet penetration figures stood at 18.7 per cent of households. "Almost 140,000 new broadband subscribers were added in 2005, a growth rate of 106 per cent in 2005. This compares to 100,000 new broadband subscribers in 2004. The Government's target is 400,000 by the end of this year, namely, almost 10 per cent of the population or 27 per cent of households."

Fine Gael spokesman Bernard Durkan claimed that the real reasons for the slow provision and take-up of broadband were Government inertia and ineptitude, its failure to recognise that the situation had changed, the lack of investment in the infrastructure and the absence of a driving force in the department.

Labour spokesman Tommy Broughan said that Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey had stated that he wanted 600,000 lines by the end of this year. "He then changed his target. He is only halfway there. Every deputy receives e-mails, or telephone calls, in the case of people who do not have e-mail outside work in respect of broadband. One such call I received this week came from a newly expanding area in Wexford."