Fine Gael Manifesto on Communications

damien

FG prove once again they have no clue what the hell is happening with communications in Ireland. If Bernard Durkan is put in charge of this area, I fear things will get worse.

• Fine Gael in Government will adopt a two-stage strategy to revolutionise broadband access in Ireland recognising that Ireland has one of the lowest take-ups of broadband in the EU and the total failure of Government policy in this area, with many householders and businesses unable to connect to a broadband service.
  
• We will immediately prioritise the extension of access to basic broadband services across the whole country. Other countries with similar population density and settlement patterns, such as Norway and Northern Ireland, have achieved 100% coverage of basic broadband services long ago. We will ensure it happens here.
  
• We will move quickly to put in place so-called Next Generation networks that will improve on the existing broadband service as a second stage in our strategy to create a fresh vision of our future telecoms needs. The fastest broadband available to households in Ireland is still slower than that available in many countries.
  
• We will achieve this vision in a way that will be efficient and speedy and will not be characterised by an overblown budget or an inordinate delay. A number of options are available.
  One possibility is to create a brand new infrastructure under State control.
  
  Another possibility is the pooling, integration and further development of existing telecom assets of private and public bodies under the management of a new Public Private Partnership, with organisations taking ownership shares in the new entity commensurate with the value of the assets contributed - subject to control by the State of the infrastructure.
  
  
• We will work, over a short and well-defined period, with ComReg and the industry participants to agree a plan to achieve this vision in the shortest time and most cost effective manner.

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Boston

He told me he would buy back eircom. But it's ok I met the cheif civil servant from the department of communications, marine and natural resources, he recons durkan hasn't a hope on being in charge, even if FG get elected.

edit, Brendan Tuohy was his name.

damien

Eh, Brendan is a sound guy but I dunno does his personal view in the public domain. DCMNR is going to be split anyway and Comms will probably be a junior portfolio under Enterprise.