No community in Offaly left behind under National Broadband Plan

OVER 6,000 homes, farms and businesses in Offaly can now avail of high-speed broadband as a result of Fine Gael’s determination to leave no community behind with the biggest infrastructural project since rural electrification being delivered on time and in budget, a Fine Gael TD said.

Deputy John Clendennen was speaking as National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company rolling out the National Broadband Plan (NBP) completed works to enable over 2,500 new connections on Achill Island.

Minister of Communications, Patrick O’Donovan, TD said: “The National Broadband Plan is one of the largest State infrastructure projects since rural electrification, and ensures that no community, home or business is left behind from a connectivity point of view. This means that delivering broadband infrastructure to the residents of Achill Island is a natural extension of this mandate.”

Deputy Clendennen said: “In Offaly the benefits of broadband have been immense. A growing number of businesses can now produce, distribute and sell their goods and services more competitively. Farmers have benefitted through smart farming, which allows remote monitoring of livestock, lower operational costs and reduced impact on the environment. The availability of high-speed broadband services has also allowed rural schools to benefit through facilitating innovative educational tools, granting access to specialist teaching resources and enabling equal engagement by distance learning. Crucially, broadband has also enabled remote working, which allows people to have more flexible working arrangements and to reduce their carbon footprint and urban sprawl by cutting down on commutes to large cities.”

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The National Broadband Plan was first instigated by Fine Gael and the then Minister Richard Bruton in 2019. Fine Gael faced down tough opposition from all sides to this plan and were accused of political opportunism. Every other party was against it, wanted to prevent it or abandon it.

“Had Fine Gael not pressed ahead with our plan, the nationwide rollout of broadband would still be a pipe dream. Thankfully we are now on track to deliver a massive infrastructural project on time and in budget, with scope to grow for generations to come. I would encourage everyone to avail of this great facility where possible, as more connections come online across Offaly in the coming months.” Deputy Clendennen concluded.