Oireachtas Debate: Information Society

Xian

Executive summary:
Mr. Stanton TD: What are you going to do to have flat-rate internet access introduced?
Ms. Hanafin, Minister of State for the Information Society: I'll pass the buck on that but I'll gladly elaborate on the bottomless pits we've found to throw money into...

Dáil Debate, June 19 2002
Mr. Stanton: Deputy Hanafin has outlined her role as Minister of State with responsibility for the information society, which seems to involve the co-ordination of various elements of it. Does she agree Ireland is falling behind other developed countries in this area, especially as regards broadband technologies? Will she clarify the Government's plans, as outlined in New Connections, to secure the unbundling of the local loop as quickly as possible and to ensure that digital subscriber line technologies are available nationwide as soon as possible? What form of leadership will be provided by the Minister of State in this area? Does she agree it is not enough merely to co-ordinate, as she should be seen to lead? Leadership is badly needed as we are lagging so badly behind. The Minister of State must drive this matter forward. Does she agree it is important that we promote flat-rate dial-up Internet access? In other words, we should facilitate people who wish to log onto the Internet and stay on-line for free. Is this a priority of the Government?

An Ceann Comhairle: The Deputy may be infringing on the responsibility of another Minister.

Ms Hanafin: As Deputy Stanton stated, the Government's vision that telecommunications services should be high-quality, high-speed, affordable and constantly available to all businesses and citizens as soon as possible is clearly set out in New Connections. The implementation of that vision is a matter for a number of different Departments. The implementation and distribution of broadband telecommunications infrastructure rests with the Department of Communications, the Marine and Natural Resources and the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern. My role is to ensure our commitments under the New Connections action plan are met. Many Departments will have a part in ensuring their elements of the plan are implemented, but my role will be to drive the agenda and to ensure we are all working on the same issues at the same time.

It is crucially important that broadband is made available throughout the country. However, it is not true to say that Ireland lags behind other countries. Reports have shown how far ahead Ireland is. A report being published tomorrow will equally show our success to date in this area. However, to ensure that we remain one of the most globalised countries and remain competitive and, more particularly, to ensure that ordinary people can have access to services in the easiest and cheapest way possible around the clock, we must move forward with this policy.

Mr. Stanton: Straight away there is a difficulty because it appears the Minister of State is not clear what her role is. What exactly is her role? Is she in charge of this area or are other Ministers in charge? Who is answerable to the il in this regard? It is vitally important that we get this right, otherwise we will fall between two stools. Government Ministers will say it is not their responsibility, it is someone else's responsibility. Therefore, I ask the Minister of State and the Taoiseach to ensure there are very clear lines of communication.

Ms Hanafin: I think I made it clear in my initial answer that my role is a co-ordinating one. Obviously it would be wrong to take away individual responsibilities from individual Departments. As I said, broadband comes under one Department, e-commerce will come under the Tánaiste's Department and educational elements will come under the Department of Education and Science. However, it is important as part of the overall policy to ensure that agenda is driven, which is my role. In doing so, I am backed not just by those different Departments but by the Cabinet sub-committee. That this role is based in the Department of the Taoiseach shows the priority the Government is giving it. The fact that there is a strategy group of secretaries and assistant secretaries and that there is an information society policy unit based in the Department of the Taoiseach will ensure the policy is driven.

In regard to the legal and regulatory environment, it is necessary that businesses, consumers and so on have the necessary confidence in the whole system. Part of the priority will be new legislation in the whole area of telecommunications regulation in regard to data protection, intellectual property rights and e-government. In regard to research and development, the Deputy will be aware that2.5 billion has been allocated for that under the technology foresight fund of the national development plan. It is all happening at different levels under various Departments. When it comes to individual questions about individual issues, those Ministers are accountable and responsible and will answer in the il. However, on the issue of e-Minister and driving the whole agenda, that is my responsibility.

Mr. Stanton: Does the Government have a time-scale to secure the unbundling of the local loop and to enable always-on dial-up Internet access? Is there a target date against which to measure the ambitious plans the Minister has outlined?

Ms Hanafin: A number of the targets for new connections are based on a three-year plan. By 2005 we should have the main elements in place, which will also include the access to public services and to e-government. The new connection plan is a three year one.

Mr. Stanton: Does that include flat-rate dial-up Internet access nationally?

Ms Hanafin: That question would be best addressed to the Minister for Communications, the Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Dermot Ahern.

Mr. Coveney: Ironically, I was going to ask about the Internet flat rate. Is it the Minister's intention to ensure that Irish businesses are not at a disadvantage in relation to the cost of Internet access? At present they are at a disadvantage compared to our neighbours in the UK and Europe, particularly in relation to flat-rate access for businesses that happen to be on the Internet all day, most days. Is it the intention of the Government to ensure in a reasonable time frame that we are at least on a par with the UK and the rest of Europe regarding cost of Internet usage?

Ms Hanafin: As I said at the outset, the Government wants to see the availability of affordable, open access, always-on broadband infrastructure. The word "affordable" is crucial to the progress of the information society and that will be addressed over the next few years.

aidan_dunne

I'm fed up of this f**king bull$hit! Somebody had better take responsibilty for this mess and sort it out straight away or I'm off on a killing spree! I'm pi$$ed off with all of this. Another politician tries to pass the buck. No wonder nothing ever gets done in this $hitty, God-forsaken, crap-hole of a f**king country with everybody passing the buck to somebody else.

And another thing, the corruption, the backhanders, the double-dealing, the vested interests are driving me totally mad. I mean, look at this:

However, it is not true to say that Ireland lags behind other countries. Reports have shown how far ahead Ireland is. A report being published tomorrow will equally show our success to date in this area.

Now try and tell me that Eircom didn't get to her and feed her and brainwash her with this bull$hit. I'm convinced now that the government, the ODTR, Eircom and Esat are all in collusion together with the single goal of f**king over ever single punter in the country. And if that sounds libelous, I don't give a f**k. Come on Eircom, come on Esat, come on all you politicians and try and sue my a$$ if you want because by the time I'm finished paying internet access and phone bills I won't have anything left for you to try and sue from me!

BA$TARDS!!!!!!! :mad:

Xian

Originally posted by aidan_dunne
However, it is not true to say that Ireland lags behind other countries. Reports have shown how far ahead Ireland is. A report being published tomorrow will equally show our success to date in this area.

...which refers to

Ireland tops EU e-government rankings
ENN, Thursday, June 20 2002

Ireland's e-government services have again topped the poll in a European Union benchmarking exercise.

The country's on-line government offerings scored at total of 84.72 percent, which was several points ahead of the next best EU member, Sweden. The average score was 54.25 percent.

According to the government's Information Policy Unit, Ireland's showing was mainly due to the services available on the www.reachservices.ie portal site and the Revenue On-line Service (ROS). Reach allows users to access a range of public sector information and services, while ROS allow companies and individuals to file tax returns over the Internet.

The Minister for the Information Society, Mary Hanafin, TD, welcomed the results and said they vindicated the government's policies on the development of e-government in Ireland.

"It is yet another testament to our progress in delivering on-line public services to citizens and businesses, and the results are an independent endorsement of Ireland's progress towards our objective of becoming a world leader in e-government and e-commerce," said Minister Hanafin in a statement.

Said services are pointless if access to them is unaffordable. 'Nuff said.

aidan_dunne

Hang on a second, Xian. Re-read your original post. She was actually talking about broadband, wasn't she, which makes what she said sound even more ludicrous!

Bios

It is crucially important that broadband is made available throughout the country. However, it is not true to say that Ireland lags behind other countries. Reports have shown how far ahead Ireland is. A report being published tomorrow will equally show our success to date in this area.

What the hell is she on about?!?

There is proof that Ireland lags behind (most) other OECD countries regards broadband.

By the look of this, she is completely clueless regarding the whole sad state of affairs here

On another note, I was playing Counter-Strike on my pay-per-minute Hi-Speed 64k BROADBAND( sigh ) and bumped into a few UK players trying out their new Blueyonder 1mbit cable UNCAPPED for £35 a month.

aidan_dunne

I bet you felt like sitting in a corner, crawling up into a ball and crying yourself to sleep, didn't you Bios? Or calling The Samaritans, perhaps! That's certainly how I feel when I read crap like this.

sceptre

Kudos to Stanton and Coveney though. They've used the terms "flat-rate" and "dialup" in the same sentence. They're clear about what they're asking. It's the answers that are fudged.

I'm not going to bother criticising Hanafin at this point. I'll just agree with all that Aidan had to say above.

Lemming

Ms Hanafin: A number of the targets for new connections are based on a three-year plan. By 2005 we should have the main elements in place, which will also include the access to public services and to e-government. The new connection plan is a three year one.

In three years, this country will be very uncompetitive from an e-perspective, and catch-up will be nigh on impossible.

Businesses are not gonna say "OH, stop. Hold everything for three years. Mary Hanafin says she has a plan!"

rymus

Reports have shown how far ahead Ireland is.

This is quite correct actually. It turns out that a lot of countries are still using smoke signals and big drums to communicate with the outside world.

Talk is cheap, now wheres my damn DSL?

Tellox

I feel your pain Bios.
I was surfing around legendofmir.net forums, (online MMORPG, is quite laggy without a good connection) and one person's sig said "Please dont accuse me of using the speed-hack, im on a 1.2Mbit blueyonder cable. (and paying BT my good money for it too )

I felt like reaching into my monitor, pulling the bloke out and eating his head off. Does he not realise that irish users would cry with hapiness if we had that sort of service?

Another person on my MSN list had his name as "I H8 BT, THEY CAN GO TO FUKIN HELL", when I asked him why its because he got a 2hr dc while playing a game, and his area wont be upgraded for 4 months. I blocked him just for saying that.


Its as if Ireland is ruled by darth vader and Britian is ruled by luke skywalker

MDR

Ok who is Mr. Stanton and Mr. Coveney ?

We need to contact these guys and edumicate them
They have the will let give them the way and even better questions to ask and statistics to use.

MDR

Tizlox,

I feel you pain man ...

BoneCollector

once again they use phrases like..
"within the next"
"by the year 200x"

This is completely NON-PRODUCTIVE! and commits to nothing!
I will Gaurantee! we will all still be waiting this time next year!
i said the same last year and it has turned out to be true

Its all Political BOLLOX!"! and we all need to hold these people accountable for there non productive statements and lack of commitment. :mad:

MDR

They are both Fine Gael TDs in Cork
Mr Simon Coveney Td.
Mr David Stanton Td.

Does anyone have any objections to me dropping em a mail.

Dangger

Dahamsta has had contact with Simon Coveney, infact I think they could be meeting at a conference in Cork today. See here