Dempsey rejects criticism over broadband availability

Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey yesterday publicly rejected, for the second time in a month, the findings of the backbench parliamentary committee that monitors his department.

The Oireachtas Committee on Communications yesterday implicitly criticised Minister Dempsey’s department when launching a report criticising the availability of high-speed broadband internet access in Ireland. It came a month after the minister and the Fianna Fáil-dominated committee clashed over fisheries legislation.

Launching the report, the committee’s Fianna Fáil chairman, Noel O’Flynn, expressed disappointment at the slow pace of roll-out of the service.

The report acknowledges a substantial 170% growth in broadband connections in Ireland in the past 12 months. There are now 175,000 broadband subscribers in Ireland.

However, it goes on to conclude that the numbers are “not particularly impressive by European standards”, and that there is no evidence that Ireland is “catching up” with other countries.

Ireland lies 19th out of 25 in the EU with a penetration rate of 4.5% compared to an average of over 8%.

But part of the problem has been that demand from individuals and business has been low, despite greater availability.

The Department and Eircom were nevertheless criticised for not doing enough to increase availability, particularly in rural Ireland.

Referring to the committee’s previous report on broadband in 2004, Mr O’Flynn said: “Sadly, I have to say that in the two years since, almost no account has been taken of the recommendations made in the report.”

Yesterday, Minister Dempsey said the report failed to recognise the real progress made in the broadband market in Ireland.

“It is inaccurate to say that ‘progress has been almost non-existent’. The Irish broadband market is growing strongly and many indicators reflect this. The fact is that there were more than a quarter of a million broadband subscribers by the end of 2005, which represents growth of 90% in 12 months.”

He also said it was disappointing that lack of demand by consumers was being portrayed as a problem.