Government has ‘let down people of Mayo’ over broadband roll-out – Chambers

DISBELIEVING Senator Rose Conway-Walsh says she finds it hard to believe the reasons cited for the delay in the rollout of the National Broadband Plan.

Áine Ryan

GOVERNMENT’S delay in bringing proposals for the National Broadband Plan (NBP) before the cabinet has been strongly criticised by Deputy Lisa Chambers, Fianna FΡil. Minister for Communications, Richard Bruton had been due to update the DΡil in the week before Easter.  
“Another delay to the National Broadband Plan is extremely disappointing for many in County Mayo who have waited over seven years for the delivery of the NBP. The Taoiseach said that there could be a decision made on the plan before Easter and it was widely expected that Minister Bruton would finally bring a decision before cabinet this week but has confirmed that this will not happen,” Ms Chambers said.
Continuing, she said the ‘government have let down people across County Mayo who are relying on this plan’.
“High speed broadband is not a luxury. It is needed in almost all jobs, education programmes, and in public service matters,” she said.
“It is no coincidence that with nearly five weeks until the Local and European elections the government have tried to push this decision away. They do not want to deliver the bad news that many rural communities will not be getting high speed broadband for some time. Having been across the constituency and region as Fianna FΡil’s European Director of Elections I am certain people will be wise to this strategy from the government.
“Ultimately, we have a situation in which people are driving to bigger towns to use free public wi-fi due to inadequate broadband,” Ms Chambers added.
Speaking also about the impact of the delay on rural Ireland, Sinn Féin Senator Rose Conway-Walsh said this latest delay in announcing a decision was ‘nothing more than putting off making a decision, perhaps until after local and European elections’.
“Last year the minister said that some 80 civil servants and consultants were working on behalf of the government on this project. The Taoiseach himself has said that delivery of the plan is a personal crusade of his. Like many people, I simply do not believe the excuses now being offered,” Ms Conway-Walsh added.  
She called on Minister Michael Ring, and other representatives from Mayo who claim influence over Government, to act decisively to ensure the issue was put on the agenda.
“The NBP was a promise in the 2011 Fine Gael manifesto. It is time to show that they are serious about delivering it,” she also said.

Government response
Responding to criticism across the political divide, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar had originally said that the decision whether to proceed with the plan to roll-out high-speed broadband across rural Ireland – at a projected cost of €3 billion – would be made before Easter. The latest delay has been dubbed a ‘betrayal’ and ‘disgraceful’ of those communities awaiting the roll-out, according to Opposition politicians. Speaking on Wednesday last, Mr Varadkar confirmed that infrastructure for the rollout of high-speed broadband will be owned by the consortium that develops the network and not the State, which proposes to invest €3 billion.