Every primary school in the country is to be connected to high-speed broadband by the end of this year.
Wexford Deputy Paul Kehoe, said the National Broadband Plan rollout is expected to reach all 701 primary schools in the country by Christmas.
This gives equal access to all the benefits of high speed broadband, no matter where a child is going to primary school.
Deputy Kehoe, Chair of the Education Committee, announced the news:
“By the end of this year every primary school will have high speed broadband. Many though that this was just a pipe dream but this is now reality.”
He went on to outline the figures and benefits for different sectors:
“Today, over 60,000 premises nationwide, who would otherwise have had no access to high speed internet, are now already connected, while over 200,000 premises spread across all 26 counties are available for immediate connection. That’s over 200,000 homes, farms, and businesses across rural Ireland which can connect to the service in just 10 days if they wish. And by the end of this year, we expect to have every primary school connected – providing the best educational start for every child,” Deputy Kehoe continued.
“Farmers have benefitted through smart farming which allows increased production quality, remote monitoring of livestock, lower operational costs, reduced impact on the environment, better security technology and easier interaction with State bodies online.
“And crucially, broadband has enabled remote working, which was a lifeline to so many workers and employers alike during the Covid pandemic. Since then, the world of work has evolved and the provision of high-speed broadband now allows people to have more flexible working arrangements and to reduce their carbon footprint and urban sprawl by cutting down on commutes to large cities.”
