Vol. 548 No. 2
61 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Public Enterprise her views on Internet access charges here; the action she is taking to facilitate reduced charges; the way in which Irish charges compare with similar charges in Finland, USA, UK and Poland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4477/02]
The regulation of Internet access charges is an operational matter for the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation. I have no function in these matters. The Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation has taken several steps to support dial-up internet access and in particular it has opened two new non-geographic codes for use in accessing internet service providers, ISPs. An analysis of dial-up Internet access prices is contained in the EU Commission's recently published Seventh Report on the Implementation of the Telecommunications Regulatory Package in Member States-COM 2001 706 final, 26 November 2001.
Government policy is to facilitate the roll-out of state of the art infrastructures and to provide the legislative and regulatory environment which will serve to make a major contribution to sustained macro-economic growth and the realisation of competitively priced, high quality services. Low cost, high speed Internet access is a key element of my Department's communications policy. Under the National Development Plan, 2000-2006, €200 million of public funds have been earmarked to leverage investment in advanced communications infrastructure and services. The focus of this investment will be to support investment in communications and electronic commerce infrastructure, systems and services in less developed areas.
Government proposals in relation to regulatory reform of the communications sector are designed to ensure that the regulatory conditions in Ireland are effective in stimulating a competitive market for communications services, including internet services. In this regard the draft Communications (Regulation) Bill will enhance the regulatory framework so as to further facilitate the development of the sector while ensuring that appropriate elements of the public interest are taken into account. The Bill is currently being drafted in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government. It is my intention to have the Bill published in the next few weeks and, time permitting, to have it enacted before the Easter recess.
