The rollout of a €48 million project to provide fibre broadband across Offaly has been completed.
Almost 13,000 homes, farms, businesses and schools across Offaly can now access the network, following €48 million in Government investment.
More than 4,400 premises have already connected, with Offaly becoming the 10th county in Ireland to complete the main infrastructure build.
Fianna Fáil TD Tony McCormack has welcomed the completion of the main fibre broadband infrastructure rollout across County Offaly under the National Broadband Plan, describing it as a major investment in the county’s future.
Deputy McCormack attended an event marking the milestone and said the completion of the rollout was particularly significant for rural communities.
“Reliable high speed broadband is no longer a luxury. It is essential infrastructure in exactly the same way that we look at roads, water and electricity,” Deputy McCormack told the Irish Independent in a statement.
“For families it means better connectivity at home, for farmers it makes running a modern farm easier, and for businesses it gives them the opportunity to operate and grow from anywhere in County Offaly.
“One of the most important aspects of the National Broadband Plan was ensuring that people living in rural Ireland were not left behind simply because of where they live. The completion of this infrastructure across Offaly is a major step forward,” he said.
Deputy McCormack congratulated Offaly County Council, National Broadband Ireland, the Department and all those involved in delivering the project.
He also paid particular tribute to Ray Bell, Broadband Officer with Offaly County Council.
“Ray has put a huge amount of work into broadband and digital connectivity across Offaly over many years,” Dep McCormack said.
“Projects of this scale do not happen without people working away behind the scenes to get them delivered, and Ray deserves great credit for the contribution he has made.
“€48 million is a very significant investment in Offaly. The real benefit, however, will be seen over the years ahead in stronger rural communities, better opportunities for our businesses and farms, and the ability for people to live and work throughout our county while having access to high quality digital infrastructure.
“This is a significant milestone for Offaly and congratulations to everyone who played a part in getting us here,” Deputy McCormack concluded.
