Poor broadband service hindering construction sector

ATTEMPTS to speed up the planning system and reduce the amount of time spent calling to offices are being stymied because our low-quality broadband cannot transmit the detailed documents involved.

That is according to the construction industry, which says it is unable to use online planning services because of the lack of broadband in many parts of the country.

The complaint comes as an international survey puts Ireland 12th out of 15 EU countries regarding the provision of broadband, while a Fine Gael TD this week criticised Communications Minister Eamon Ryan for setting up “another talking shop” on the issue of broadband, at a cost of €50,000.

According to the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), the availability, reliability and speed of broadband services are an increasing problem for Irish construction companies.

Speaking before yesterday’s Construct IT Conference 2008, CIF head of training and development, Noelle O’Connell, said the unreliability of broadband services threatened to hold back IT innovations in the construction sector.

Citing one example she said: “Planning authorities, for instance, increasingly make information about development plans, development control standards and other aspects of the planning process available online.

“However, difficulties in accessing this information — particularly in terms of downloading plans and strategies often containing very detailed maps and drawings and completing applications online — means time is lost in queues at planning counters.”

Moving the tender process online is another innovation that is not possible without first class broadband infrastructure, according to CIF, particularly given the level of detail and technical supporting documentation associated with tenders for even the smallest projects.

Ms O’Connell said the construction industry had been an innovator over the past decade, especially in areas such as health and safety management systems.

“However, in the area of IT problems, the availability of reliable, high-speed broadband services, particularly in certain parts of the country, continue to frustrate innovations. This problem impacts every sector of the industry.”

The CIF criticisms are just the latest in a succession of complaints about broadband quality.

Ebay Ireland managing director John McElligott said we are “falling behind” in Ireland. “We’re supposed to be promoting entrepreneurship, we’re supposed to be promoting regional development, we’re supposed to be promoting the knowledge economy and in many ways to the lack of this proper infrastructure just means these opportunities are far less available.”

Fine Gael parliamentary party chairman Tom Hayes called on the Government to take action. “Recently the minister said ‘we are at a digital crossroads’ and his solution is to set up another independent, separate talking shop with no deadlines, which he is not responsible for, costing €50,000.”