DEVELOPMENT OF broadband can help drag Ireland out of the economic downturn, according to Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan.
"This is the area where our economic future will be determined," said Mr Ryan. He made the comments at a public forum on next generation broadband which he convened at Dublin Castle yesterday.
"This network we are going to build is our sales system to the rest of the world and is the guarantor of our economy for the next 50 years," the Minister told the forum.
"Despite current difficulties in financial markets, we as a people are perfectly placed globally to be one of the world leaders in how we adapt to using this new technology." Mr Ryan described the process being used to map out next generation broadband as "open source idea making".
A blend of businessmen, bloggers, and broadband activists come together to discuss the path forward for broadband in Ireland at the forum.
"This collaboration between different individuals is what will deliver success," said Mr Ryan. "We have to cover the whole country, to leave no one behind."
Despite the Minister's sentiments, some attendees doubted the Government's ability to deliver on the aim of bringing Ireland's broadband infrastructure up to speed with leading EU nations.
Mr Ryan responded, saying that Ireland needed to target the achievements of other EU nations and to learn from market leaders.
"Previously we had always been setting targets around broadband speeds. Its better to have a more flexible assessment that recognises that it is evolutionary," the Minister said.
"Concentrating on the speed thing is missing the bigger picture. So long as . . . speed is ahead of demand it's a better assessment."
Mr Ryan said competition between providers had been a key driver of progress in countries with a superior broadband infrastructure. He said generating greater competition in the Irish market could bridge the gap with nations such as Denmark and the Netherlands.
