Broadband service - Dedicated minister is required

AS an urgent priority, Noel O’Flynn, the chairman of the Oireachtas Communications Committee, is quite right when he asserts that this country needs an individual minister with special responsibility for the national provision of the broadband service.

The current level of service availability throughout the country is completely inadequate, with Ireland lagging embarrassingly behind other OECD countries, and no sign the situation is about to improve.

The fact that Ireland needs a minister dedicated to broadband provision will be spelt out to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern later this month by the committee, so that broadband will be rolled out effectively and practically.

The country urgently needs a national high-speed broadband infrastructure for better industrial modern communication needs, as well as practical and efficient channel of communications, which is normal in other countries.

It should be, as Mr O’Flynn said, as simple as pressing a key to get broadband. Equally, it should be the common standard in a country like Ireland which depends on the knowledge economy and needs to be a vibrant player in it.

He is also correct in maintaining there should be, apart from business and industry, greater availability in schools and expanded community-based education programmes.