Ireland’s broadband ranks fifth lowest
Fine Gael MEP for Dublin Gay Mitchell TD today described Ireland’s broadband availability as a ‘pending disaster’ for the Irish economy following the release of new figures which show that Ireland has one of the lowest rates of broadband internet access in the EU.
The figures for 2004, from Euro Stat, show that Ireland’s broadband saturation level is just 1.7%, compared to some other key European countries which have a saturation level of more than 12%: Some of the figures are as follows:
- Denmark 15.6%
- Netherlands 14.8%
- Belgium 14%
- Sweden 12%
- Finland 11.1%
- United Kingdom 7.3%
- Ireland 1.7%
- Latvia 1.6%
- Czech Republic 1%
- Slovakia 4%
The figures also show that Ireland has the second lowest percentage of internet access for medium sized enterprises and the fourth lowest for small enterprises.
Deputy Mitchell “This is a disgracefully poor level of broadband penetration when compared with our innovative European neighbours who have reached a saturation level of more than 12%. Denmark and the Netherlands are way ahead of Ireland in this regard. Poor broadband access is a key obstacle for Ireland to improve our economy on a global scale.”
The EU has already produced a clear and ambitious plan for a European dynamic knowledge-based economy in the form of the Lisbon Strategy, which was agreed upon by European leaders in 2000, and Deputy Mitchell says it is now time for the Irish government to address this appalling lack of broadband access in Ireland.
He concluded “I have received several complaints from businesses about difficulty with access to broadband. This level of concern from businesses makes me worry about the future of Irelands economy. Bridging the digital divide will be key not only to the economy as a whole but also to addressing regional economic and social imbalances. Delivering more and better job prospects throughout the country will be the real result of greatly expanding and improving broadband internet penetration, but these jobs will go elsewhere, with disastrous consequences, for Ireland if we do not act now.”