Fibre Broadband Will Be A Game Changer For Rural Ireland – IFA
IFA General Secretary Pat Smith and Head of IT Development, Ethan Cleary, today met with EU Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan, EU Commissioner for Regional Development Corina Crețu and Minister for Communications Alex White to highlight the need to quickly develop an affordable high-speed fibre broadband network for every home and business in rural Ireland.
At the meeting, IFA General Secretary Pat Smith said that the provision of high-speed fibre broadband to rural Ireland will be a game changer, providing opportunities for people to live and work anywhere, and facilitate the development of sustainable export-driven businesses across the country.
He said providing fibre broadband across rural Ireland would enable a raft of new services that would help to address the many issues impacting on rural people and farmers, including rural security and farm safety.
Mr. Smith welcomed the financial commitment both Commissioners have given to supporting the rollout of the National Broadband Plan and said it is reassuring that, under the direction of Ministers Alex White and Ann Phelan, the Department of Communications is on track to deliver on the Government’s commitment to provide a high speed service to all homes and businesses by 2020.
Concluding, the IFA General Secretary said that IFA would hold the Government to this commitment to rural Ireland.