FG unveils broadband access plan

Fine Gael has published its plans to help improve broadband access in Ireland.

Under its 10-point plan, Fine Gael wants the Government to review and upgrade the infrastructure to higher-speed fibre-optic cable and to pass legislation to ensure that ducting, the underground pipes for fibre-optic cables, is installed in all new housing and apartment developments.

The party is also seeking a review of the National Broadband Scheme to ensure that broadband access in remote areas of the country is high bandwidth.

It is also calling on the Government to give priority to the connection of schools and educational institutions to Next Generation Access (NGA). NGA, which covers broadband speeds of more than 10Mb per second, has sufficient bandwidth to carry data, images, voice and TV or video.

Fine Gael communications spokesman Simon Coveney said: "For any country competing in the global economy, next-generation broadband access is essential, but for Ireland, shortcomings in this area are a serious impediment to our plans to create an economy based on technology, innovation, research and development."

In Ireland, only 15.4 per cent of the population have broadband, with speed lagging at 3Mb per second. The average in the OECD area is 13.7Mb per second, with only Mexico and Turkey coming in behind Ireland.