Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Government's website page on better regulation states that the State liberalised telecommunications and describes this as a wise move that has placed the communications market on a par with many OECD countries. Does the Taoiseach not accept that the facts belie this claim? The latest European Commission survey on communications shows that Ireland lags far behind other countries. A total of 49% of homes here have an Internet connection but we rely on narrow band technology or dial-up access. This is the only EU state where more households access the Internet by narrow band than by broadband technology. What is the Government doing about this? This is one of the most important areas that must be addressed, particularly now when there are ever-growing difficulties in the employment sector and a straitened economy. There is a need for real investment in opening up opportunities for the future and broadband is one of the areas that has been critically neglected. What steps does the Government propose to take? Will the Taoiseach assure the House that such critical investment will not be set aside as part of the Government's so-called addressing of the challenging fiscal circumstances that now confront us?

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