The Labour Party has called for a major increase in the number of broadband connections in the country. It claims that the failure to deliver on this issue has been one of the current Government's greatest public policy failures.
Labour party spokesperson Tommy Broughan said the high-speed internet access provided by broadband is vital for economic growth, and called for a new Department of Communications and Broadcasting as well as a broadband task-force to intensify broadband roll-out.
Deputy Broughan also called for Eircom to be restructured to separate the network division and so allow other operators to access the local loop.
Labour is also proposing greater competition in the cable and wireless sectors, an increase in powers and penalties for ComReg, a national information technology education programme, and the provision of laptops for all secondary school students.
