From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
Western counties to receive investment of €938 million in broadband infrastructure
Seán Canney T.D., Item was unpublished or removed
Speaking today, Minister Canney said:
“The Government’s investment in high speed broadband under the National Broadband Plan will have a transformative effect on rural Ireland. The counties along the Atlantic Economic Corridor, from Kerry to Donegal, contain some of the county’s most peripheral rural areas, where it is not viable for commercial providers to bring high speed broadband to every premises.”
“Through the National Broadband Plan, the Government intends to fill that gap in provision, and ensure equality of access to broadband services in all parts of Ireland.”
“Collectively, over 228,000 premises in the nine counties of the Atlantic Economic Corridor region will benefit under the National Broadband Plan. This accounts for 34% of all premises to be provided with high speed broadband under the Plan nationally. The State’s investment in these counties will amount to €938 million.”
Minister Canney continued:
“The provision of high speed broadband will support business development, job creation and economic growth in the AEC region, and will have tremendous benefits for people who want to live and work in the West of Ireland.”
“One of the practical ways improved broadband connectivity will help to support job creation is through facilitating people who want to work remotely from their homes or enterprise hubs in rural locations. Remote working will also be a boost to employers, by enabling them to access a wider group of skilled workers, working remotely, who might not otherwise be available to them.”
“I recently announced funding of €1 million for a network of enterprise hubs and digital working spaces along the Atlantic Economic Corridor which will help to drive economic development and contribute to our regional development goals. The provision of high speed broadband to homes and businesses along the Corridor will further boost that initiative and bring great benefits to rural communities.”
ENDS
Contact:
The Department of Rural and Community Development Press Office
076-1006843 / 086 7912704
The Atlantic Economic Corridor
The Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC) is the term applied to a region along the Western seaboard, stretching from Kerry to Donegal. The objective of the AEC project is to maximise the region’s assets and connect the economic hubs, clusters and catchments of the region to generate a value proposition which will attract investment, support job creation and improve the quality of life for those who live in the region.
The counties covered by AEC project are: Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Limerick, and Kerry.
The AEC project is overseen by the Atlantic Economic Corridor Taskforce which is chaired by Minister Canney and which includes key Government Departments and agencies, business representatives and Third Level Institutions.
Further information can be found at: www.atlanticeconomiccorridor.ie.
| County | Investment by county – Years 1 to 25 (€millions) | No. of Premises – Intervention Area |
| GALWAY | €152 | 39,185 |
| MAYO | €151 | 36,843 |
| DONEGAL | €141 | 34,107 |
| KERRY | €123 | 28,706 |
| CLARE | €99 | 23,359 |
| LIMERICK | €86 | 21,878 |
| ROSCOMMON | €76 | 18,469 |
| SLIGO | €59 | 14,314 |
| LEITRIM | €51 | 11,297 |
| Total | €938 228,158 |