Details of €33 million Government investment for broadband in Louth announced

Louth councillor John McGahon has announced that Government is to invest €33 million to deliver high-speed broadband to Louth. Cllr McGahon was speaking as the Government announced the biggest initiative for rural Ireland since electrification. 

“This is a landmark day for Louth and for rural Ireland generally" said the Fine Gael councillor, sharing the details of the investment. "The Government has today signed a contract for the National Broadband Plan, which will see investment of €33 million to bring high-speed broadband to 8,243 homes across Louth.” 

The National Broadband Plan is the Government’s plan to rollout high speed broadband to the 1.1 million people living and working in the nearly 540,000 premises nationally, including 100,000 businesses and farms, and over 600 schools, where commercial operators will not commit to deliver the service.

Cllr. McGahon continued: “The work will start immediately, with roll-out of broadband within eight weeks of today’s contract signing. Over 90% of premises in the State will have access to high speed broadband within four years. 

“Quite simply this means rural communities in Louth will not be left behind. All of rural Ireland will get the same access to opportunities offered by high-speed broadband as those in urban areas. 

“As an initial step, the Government has published a list of approximately 300 community centres, schools, library hubs and local GAA halls in every county that will be connected to high speed broadband during 2020, to enable communities to quickly get free public access to high speed broadband.  

“In Louth the locations are: 

• Annaghminnan Rovers Gaa Club, Pairc Annaghminnon, Newtown, Louth, Co. Louth, A91R235
• Clogherhead, Harbour Road, Clogher, Co. Louth
• Killany Gaa Club, Killany Community Centre, Killanny, Carrickmacross, Co. Louth, A81AE37
• Mattock Rangers Gaa Club, Mattock Rangers Community Centre, School Lane, Collon, Co. Louth, A92CR6C
• Port Beach, Mitchelstown, Co. Louth
• Saint Enda's National School, Killanny, Carrickmacross, Co. Louth, A81E267
• Stephenstown, Knockattin, Dundalk, Co. Louth
• Templetown Beach, Templetown, Co.Louth
• Walshestown National School, Walshestown, Clogherhead, Co. Louth, A92CD53 

“The ultimate goal here is to deliver high-speed broadband to homes and businesses all across the country", Cllr McGahon continued. "The delivery of high-speed broadband will be hugely beneficial to economic development and job creation in Louth.

"It will open up a whole range of possibilities including: flexible and remote working; smart health with online GP and nursing services and medical monitoring; cloud-based services and connected devices; smart farming opportunities; digital learning; and reliable electronic payments and bookings for businesses.

“We want to ensure that people who wish to live and work in Louth are supported in doing so. It is so crucial for balanced regional development that everyone in the country does not have to go to Dublin to work, study or start an enterprise.

“Fine Gael is delivering on transforming the country for the better and providing more opportunities to all. We have prioritised rural broadband as others, including Fianna Fáil, did everything they could to attempt to derail the plan in a bid to score political points. 

“Unlike Fianna Fáil and others, Fine Gael is working to ensure rural Ireland is to the fore of the country’s progression and development. Whereas we have a plan for the country, opposition and critics like Fianna Fáil provide only obstacles. They have no plan, no solutions and no policies for broadband for Ireland.  

“Today’s announcement by my Fine Gael colleague the Minister for Communications, Richard Bruton, is quite simply the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification”, McGahon concluded.