Results 2,461-2,480 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (21 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 719 on the 5th February 2008.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (21 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The estimate of the cost of the International Advisory Forum on broadband is €50,000.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (21 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of broadband services is, in the first instance, a matter for the private sector. Broadband service providers operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated, where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. There are a number of platforms for delivery of broadband, and the service providers are now offering broadband by wireless,...

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: Recognising that: broadband is a key enabler of the knowledge economy and a driver of balanced regional development and social equity; Ireland has experienced the fastest growth in broadband penetration in the OECD in the last year; broadband in Ireland is now offered over a multiplicity of...

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Yes, 85% of the population.

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: There are such areas, and we intend to address this issue. There is a range of DSL platforms from fixed-line operators, as well as innovative wireless operators that have provided solutions because the market was not delivering. We have taken steps with new technologies that provide solutions. There is a whole range of operators — cable operators, fibre-optic operators, mobile operators...

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: No, the OECD's figures do not include mobile services. I will go into further detail about the OECD figures, but one of the difficulties with them is that they do not include the whole range of technologies, some of which represent major progress. The OECD figures show that we are, in the last year, the fastest growing country in terms of pick-up.

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: That is true, but we are the fastest growing——

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: When we are close to doubling the numbers of subscribers in a year, that is not insignificant.

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I will give some more OECD statistics to illustrate the extent of our catch-up. In the third quarter of 2006, when the average OECD figure was some 15.6 broadband subscribers per 100, we had 10.3 users per 100. In the third quarter of 2007, the average OECD figure was 18.8 subscribers per 100, and our figure was 18.4 per 100. Even though the Deputy is saying that we were coming from a low...

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I will come to that but statistics are important because the debate has been framed by statistics in a simple analysis that has not provided real clarity about what is happening in good times and in bad. Deputy Coveney referred to Denmark and I will comment on broadband speed there. Whatever about advertised speed in Denmark, one of the countries of best practice, figures from ComReg show...

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: ——of the next generation network of high speed broadband areas, 1% of the population were using such high speed connections last July. Whatever about advertised speeds, that is the figure for what people were using. Deputy Coveney referred to the UK speeds, a country that we need to be ahead of——

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: ——which is 10.6 megabytes per second. Data from BT shows that less than 5% of customers use such speeds. A debate is useful in getting a sense of what we must do and what we must change. The reality is that we are not there yet but we have improved. We have a similar level of penetration to our colleagues in the northern part of this island. The OECD statistics, which do not take...

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: If one includes different technology and growth since then, we are closer——

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I will stop encouraging people.

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Close to 50% of Irish houses have a broadband connection. We must remember that 40% of Irish houses do not have a computer. We must increase that figure so we can increase penetration in the home, which is only one of the issues, albeit a crucial one. We need broadband in other areas of our life, such as workplaces, schools and hospitals. I agree with Deputy Coveney that we should not get...

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: That is important, because this is a competitive market and a strong regulatory system can provide for the Irish people. Things change quickly in this area and an important development in the past year is the local loop unbundling, where one opens exchanges to allow competing companies access to the network to provide services. The competing companies can buy the services on a wholesale...

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I will come to that if I can, Deputy Coveney.

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I do not have four minutes, I have 30 minutes left.

Broadband Services: Motion (26 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: No. As a result of local loop unbundling we are starting to see change. One operator is providing ADSL, a fixed line service, with speeds of between 2 megabytes and 15 megabytes per second on 37 exchanges. That serves the possibility of 500,000 lines. Another provider is providing ADSL technology with speeds up to 8 megabytes per second on 22 exchanges, with the potential of 330,000 lines...