“State’s failure to implement EU Broadband law means Irish customers are missing out” – Chris MacManus MEP

Sinn Féin MEP for Midlands Northwest Chris MacManus has said important EU rules designed to reduce the cost of broadband provision have been ignored by the State meaning Irish customers are missing out. He said the government must answer why it is failing to implement EU laws which could result in better broadband after the Commission confirmed to him that Ireland was still not implementing the rules 5 years after the deadline.

MacManus said: “This government negligence is ultimately hurting Irish customers. Article 8 of the Broadband Cost Reduction Directive states that Member States like Ireland shall ensure that newly constructed/renovated buildings are equipped with high-speed-ready in-building physical infrastructure. The aim of this rule is to reduce the cost to providers of having to install through retrofitting new technical equipment. By ignoring the law, the EU Commission stated to me that “Irish providers cannot take advantage of these rules to reduce their cost of deployment, increase the footprint of their networks and reach more end-users.”

The Sinn Féin MEP concluded, “The aim of Article 8 is that new buildings should be broadband ready, a sensible rule in today’s world. By ignoring this rule the government is ensuring that it is ultimately Irish consumers who will face extra costs and slower roll-out of broadband.  With my Sinn Féin colleagues I will be raising this failure to abide by EU law with the government.” ENDS