MINISTER FOR Communications Eamon Ryan repeated the Government's commitment to providing 100 per cent broadband coverage throughout the State.
"I intend to deliver on that objective," he said.
He added that, because it was a changing area, it was difficult to state at a given time what precisely were the services being provided.
The department, he said, had asked the industry to outline which areas would be served.
"If areas are not served by July 1st, the date at which we intend to commence delivering the national broadband scheme, they will be included in the scheme."
Fine Gael spokesman Simon Coveney said the Commission for Communications Regulation had predicted that the national broadband scheme would not provide 100 per cent coverage.
Mr Ryan said his department had prepared a draft policy on next-generation broadband.
Two weeks ago, he had convened a meeting of the expert international advisory forum to examine policy.
"The key challenge is getting higher-speed broadband at lower cost to more subscribers.
"The forum members have provided valuable feedback. They supported the broad trust of the document."
Mr Coveney asked why the Minister believed it was appropriate to appoint an independent advisory forum to advise him on his own policy paper which could have been debated in the Dáil.
He challenged Mr Ryan to set out a timeframe for consultation with stakeholders, and the publication of the up-to-date report.
The Minister said that he opted for an independent advisory forum because such a forum worked in the past.
"There are significant commercial interests at play," said Mr Ryan. "We are dealing with a complex, fast-changing market."
Mr Coveney said the Government was not providing leadership.
"There are decisions the Minister could take, on which he does not need to engage in consultation," Mr Coveney said.
