The Minister of State and County Limerick TD said he did not accept the criticism that this investment in rural Ireland is a waste of money.
The Minster of State at the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Patrick O’Donovan has described the €2.97 million investment in the National Broadband Plan as an investment in rural Ireland.
Minister O’Donovan said, “There is no need to justify investing close to €3 billion over 25 years in essential infrastructure for our country – the majority of which will be provided to rural Ireland – and €86 million of which will be invested directly into Limerick.
“This is the biggest investment in Rural Ireland since electrification. The National Broadband Plan is about providing for an equal and fairer Ireland. This is about equal access to services and opportunities for everyone, no matter where they live or work. It will ensure that every home, farm and business – no matter how rural or remote – has access to high speed broadband.”
“Small businesses will be able to thrive in rural Ireland as access to proper broadband opens up their services to European and Global Markets, and proper broadband is now an essential tool for our farmers and those working in the Agricultural sector,” he continued.
“With the roll out of the National Broadband Plan we can insure every child has proper internet access available to them for their education – not just the children in out larger towns and urban areas.
“Broadband in the home will also provide more facilities for people to keep in touch and help combat rural isolation and loneliness,” he added.
The Minister of State and County Limerick TD said he did not accept the criticism that this investment in rural Ireland is a waste of money.
Minister O’Donovan asked, “Are the people of rural Ireland, who have been contributing without question to the same tax system that built urban transport services, including a one off €5 billion investment in the metro, not entitled to a broadband infrastructure that allows them to work, trade and educate their children the same as those who live in urban Ireland?”
“When the Government announced that it was investing €36.9 billon in our roads infrastructure between the period 2002-2021 no one questioned the sum being invested, and rightly so. That roads’ investment works out at a yearly average of over €1.8 billion. Comparatively when we talk about the National Broadband Plan, we are talking about a yearly average spend of €120 million.
“This investment by Government in the National Broadband Plan is an investment in a fairer Ireland. This is an investment in regional balance. This is an investment in sustainable job creation by supporting small business. This is an investment in our future economy, and in particularly our rural economy – so yes I believe we should invest now in the roll out of our National Broadband and not delay any further.”
