Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

We are addressing the issue through a range of measures, including investments in 100 megabit connectivity in schools, Project Kelvin, a high speed connection between North America and Ireland, and the exemplar network which creates potential to overcome the slow spot in the Internet, namely, the choke point at switching equipment. We are making a number of investments which provide an opportunity to speed up the networks. Before doing so, however, we must first find out what are current broadband speeds. I expect the tendering process to award a contract for carrying out this task will take place within the next two or three weeks.

I look forward to the publication of broadband speeds because I believe it will confirm recent OECD findings that Ireland is one of the fastest improving countries in the area of broadband. I acknowledge that we are coming from behind and need to do more, but Ireland is in the top three or four OECD countries as regards catching up and becoming faster on the Internet.

See this speech in context