Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 5

Written Answers. - Telecommunications Services.

John Bruton

Question:

115 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will publish, by March 2002, a strategy to accelerate the expansion of the telecommunication broadband infrastructure, as recommended by the National Competitiveness Council (details supplied). [5633/02]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke):

The interdepartmental committee on telecommunications is currently drafting a policy paper on communications infrastructure which will, inter alia, take the National Competitiveness Council report into account when arriving at its conclusions. The committee will finalise its report in the coming weeks.

To further the deliberation of that group, I hosted a workshop on 13 February with IBEC which proved most fruitful.

In the meantime, the International Advisory Committee on Infocoms is also finalising its report and I hope to publish that in the coming weeks also.