The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has criticised the Government for a lack of action on broadband infrastructure.
The committee also accused the Government of 'inaction' on implementing recommendations made by the committee in its second report published in March 2004, claiming progress since then had been 'almost non-existent'.
The committee said there had been 'a lack of a Government policy response that indicates that the Government gives this key economic imperative the attention required'.
It also criticised Eircom, describing the pace and 'almost total lack' of Local Loop Unbundling as a roadblock that must be addressed in the national interest.
The report said the universal provision of affordable broadband was crucial to Ireland's becoming a knowledge based economy. It said the issue needed 'the full and concentrated attention' of the Government.
It has published 35 questions it says it wants answered by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources relating to the roll-out of broadband in Ireland.
Minister Noel Dempsey welcomed the report but said it was inaccurate to say that progress had been almost non-existent. 'There were more than a quarter of a million broadband subscribers by the end of 2005, which represents growth of 90% in 12 months,' he said. Minister Dempsey added that he would be introducing new legislation to increase the enforcement powers of ComReg, the telecoms regulator.
