Communications Minister Eamon Ryan has unveiled a ten-point plan to extend and enhance the provision of broadband services.
The Government says it will deliver universal broadband access by early 2010 and that connection speeds will equal or exceed those in other EU countries by 2012.
Minister Ryan says a national broadband infrastructure is essential for economic and social development. This morning he launched a discussion document on how best to achieve this.
Among the commitments is a pledge to introduce high-speed connections to all secondary schools on a phased basis.
Major public infrastructure projects will have to install ducting for broadband when they are being built, while all new premises will be required to install open access fibre connections.
