The complete rollout of broadband across the country is to be delayed by about six months.
In the Dáil today, Communications Minister Eamon Ryan said the National Broadband Scheme is taking longer than he would have liked.
He said it is now hoped the scheme will be in place by mid-2010. The original deadline was for the end of 2009.
The scheme was set up to deliver broadband into areas where the market has failed to provide such services.
Fine Gael's Simon Coveney suggested that the implementation of the plan would not happen until the end of 2010 and accused the Government of inaction and fudging the broadband issue.
