-Irish Rural Businesses cannot play a part in our economic recovery without broadband.
-Cabinet Subcommittee urgently required, Oireachtas Committee told.

Irish Rural Link (IRL) - the national organisation campaigning for sustainable rural communities- told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources this morning that the lack of broadband in much of the country is a brake on indigenous entrepreneurship and jeopardises our economic recovery. IRL said options including the renationalisation of the former State teloco Eircom, should be considered.

According to Irish Rural Link Chief Executive Seamus Boland: “Eircom’s incumbent position means the country is relying on them to provide the broadband infrastructure we require and the company has made it clear it simply cannot afford the investment. Without it tens of thousands or rural homes and business people will never be able to access the high quality broadband required and will be condemned to the digital dark ages for a generation. There must be a proper debate on the future of Eircom, including giving serious consideration to renationalising the company.”

Boland continued “While we welcome the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) in principle Irish Rural Link has highlighted a number of concerns regarding the design of the NBS and the mobile broadband technology intended to deliver it, including:

• Up to 12,000 houses and business premises who cannot access any broadband are excluded from the NBS and no provision has been made for their needs.

• ComReg has questioned the reliability of mobile broadband technologies. IRL query whether the Scheme will meet the expectations and needs of the modern internet user.

• Legitimate local concerns regarding the location of the 160 new telecommunications masts required by the Scheme may delay its roll out.

IRL do not believe the speeds and quality of service offered by the NBS will allow rural Small and Medium Enterprises or tourism businesses to fully realise their potential.

Irish Rural Link made the following four recommendations to the Oireachtas Committee:

1. An acknowledgement that the NBS is only a first step in the achievement of optimum broadband nationally.
2. The 12,000 homes and business excluded from the NBS must be immediately included.
3. A Cabinet subcommittee must be established, tasked with providing adequate broadband to SMEs/tourist operations/companies, reporting to cabinet by Autumn 2009.
4. A proper debate on the future of Eircom, including its possible renationalisation is needed.

According to Boland: “When it was first announced the NBS was portrayed as creating universal broadband coverage which would allow rural homes and businesses to fully participate in the digital economy. Then the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources began describing it as a “first step” saying that many of the issues raised would be addressed by later measures. It has recently been downgraded again. On his recent trip to Silicon Valley Minister Ryan called it a €223 million “gap” measure when he was told by Cisco that what the NBS was planning to deliver was “not broadband”.

In their presentation to the Committee Irish Rural Link highlighted two business case studies, Mr. Crumb Speciality Foods, Finea, Co. Westmeath - a food business competing internationally- and the Glen of Aherlow Caravan and Camping Park, Co. Tipperary, both of which are severely challenged and frustrated by the lack of high quality broadband.

“Other countries are investing in high speed, high quality broadband but despite the Government’s “Smart Economy” document published in December no cohesive vision for broadband in Ireland has been forthcoming. Any money coming from Europe earmarked for rural broadband infrastructure as part of the EU’s economic recovery plans must not be squandered; it must be spent on tried and tested solutions which should be devised and delivered in consultation with rural communities and businesses. Irish Rural Link will continue to campaign for the delivery of a high quality, equitably priced broadband product for all rural areas” Boland concluded.