With the exception of Google Fiber, the United States isn’t exactly breaking records when it comes to high-speed Internet policy. The National Broadband Plan, which was released two years ago, says that there should be a minimum level of service of at least 4Mbps for all Americans. Since then, not much has happened.

But across the pond in Ireland, Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte, has recently decided that that’s not nearly enough.

On Thursday, he outlined a new broadband plan for Ireland that puts the United States to shame. He says that half the population, largely in the urban and suburban cores, should have speeds of 70Mbps to 100Mbps, with service of at least 40Mbps to the next 20 percent of the country. Finally, he writes, there should be a "minimum of 30Mbps for every remaining home and business in the country—no matter how rural or remote."

The measure in Ireland is part of the European Union’s Digital Agenda for Europe, which, among other things, requires member states to publish national broadband plans by the end of the year to bring a minimum level of 30Mbps service to all citizens by 2020. It also requires that countries bring speeds of 100Mbps to half of the EU’s households by 2020. Back in 2009, Finland announced a plan to bring a minimum service of 1Mbps by 2010, which would then be bumped to 100Mbps by 2015.

The Irish government says it’s prepared to put up €175 million ($219 million) to support the market’s failure to deliver broadband in rural areas. To be clear, the Irish government isn’t buying people Internet access—rather, it’s just making sure that a certain level of service is commercially available throughout the country.

"State funding will only arise where it is clear that the market will not deliver," states the Irish Department of Communication’s National Broadband Plan (PDF), published on Thursday. "The precise cost to the State will be subject to the outcome of the procurement process chosen. The source of the State’s contribution will be subject to further consideration and may include the proceeds from the sale of State assets, the National Pensions Reserve Fund and the Strategic Investment Fund."