The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White, has said high speed broadband will be available to everyone across the country by 2020.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Sean O'Rourke, he said at least 70% of the people of Ireland will have high speed broadband by the end of 2016.
But he added that it will take longer to deliver it to people in more rural parts of the country.
He said an initial €70m in funding was available to pay towards the cost of providing this service.
Mr White also said he did not think the proposed broadcasting charge would be introduced in the lifetime of this Government.
He said there was a commitment in the Programme for Government for a broadcasting charge, but although he said it has merit, a lot of work would need to be done to build public acceptance of it but it was important that public service broadcasting is properly funded.
