Brussels, Thursday, 20 November 2003
Dermot Ahern T.D., Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, today said that Ireland will host a roundtable meeting with key economic players in information and communications technology during Ireland’s Presidency of the EU next year.
Speaking in Brussels at a Telecoms Council of Ministers meeting, Minister Ahern said the roundtable meeting would be part of his EU Presidency programme during the first half of next year.
The Minister said it was important to hear key players and industry experts at EU level on the rollout of broadband throughout Europe, problems that confront the sector and the regulatory environment.
The meeting would follow-up on the agenda explored at a gathering hosted by Britain and France in October with players from the information technology and society sectors.
Minister Ahern called also on the EU Commission at the Ministerial Council to evaluate a minimum rollout of broadband to schools and community centres throughout the EU.
The Minister said the Commission should develop minimum standards of broadband access and skills for all young people in the EU. “This will help in a very concrete way to position Europe as a leading knowledge economy in global terms,” the Minister said.
The Minister said the challenge facing Communications Ministers was to secure affordable, universally available and universally accessible broadband in the EU.
Minister Ahern stated: “The reality of the market today is that broadband is not available in many parts of the Union. This lack of availability tends to be concentrated in areas which are economically disadvantaged. Even where it is available, the poorest groups can’t avail of its benefits for cost reasons.”
“Where markets fail, especially in disadvantaged or peripheral areas, to deliver the broadband infrastructure on which economic development depends, I believe there is a legitimate role for State intervention on a targeted, transparent and competitively neutral basis.”
Ends.
For further information, please contact:
Richard Moore
Press Advisor
Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources
Leeson Lane
Dublin 2
Tel: +353-(01) - 678-2440