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Over EUR22 million (IEP17 million) of additional funding is being provided in the budget for the continued rollout of broadband services in the regions, it was announced on Wednesday. The government has also said it would be further supporting an initiative called CAIT aimed at promoting the usage of new technology among the disadvantaged and community groups.
Welcoming the additional allocation in the Budget, the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mary O'Rourke TD, said the extra money will play an important role in expanding the rollout of new technology and eradicating any digital divide. She also said that the funding would help to ensure that a high quality broadband network is in place around the country and will assist in providing the new Atlantic Corridor network.
Specifically, the budget has provided for EUR19 million (IEP15 million) in funding for rolling out broadband in the regions. This funding is in addition to EUR25 million (IEP20 million) already outlined in the estimates published last month. According to both Shannon Development and the Department of Enterprise, the EUR44 million (IEP35 million) in funding will act as a catalyst for "millions more" in private investment in regional broadband projects.
Praising Charlie McCreevy's budget, Kevin Thompstone, chief executive, Shannon Development, made remarks similar to O'Rourke's saying, "It is an acknowledgement of the growing importance of such infrastructure to the economic development of communities and the fact that without such investment regionally based companies will be unable to compete effectively in the global knowledge economy."
Thompstone also said the rollout of broadband telecommunications infrastructure was "critical" to the development of the Shannon region, both in facilitating the information society and underpinning enterprise development initiatives.
A spokesperson for Shannon Development said that the company was pleased with the level of funding which it hoped could be used to address what it calls the Ennis-Sandyford paradigm. This refers to the dramatic difference in cost for companies operating in Ennis and firms in Sandyford, Dublin to access a global communication carrier's network. According to the spokesperson, Shannon-based companies have only two option in terms of high-speed network access providers, Esat and Eircom, and their prices are too high.
Earlier this year the organisation submitted a proposal to the Department of Public Enterprise for the establishment of a regional telecommunications broadband backbone. The Shannon Region Broadband Communications Network (SRBCN) Project proposal calls for the construction of a new dark fibre and ducting backbone network, around Limerick and connecting onwards to the regional towns of Thurles, Roscrea, Birr, Nenagh, Shannon, Ennis and Tralee.
Established in 1959 Shannon Development is a semi-state body dedicated to the development of the region which includes counties Clare, Limerick, North Tipperary, South Offaly and North Kerry, which collectively have a population of over 407,000 people.
As for the Community Application of Information Technology (CAIT) initiative, the government said it will receive EUR3.5 million (IEP2.7 million) in addition to EUR3 million allocated earlier this year. CAIT is expected to support 50 to 60 new community projects and is aimed at users who currently are unfamiliar with, and who do not use, the new technologies in their everyday lives.
According to CAIT, these projects will impact Irish people in all counties and the projects supported by it are aimed at all groups including rural communities, the farming community, the elderly, the unemployed, manual workers, the travelling community, people with disabilities and young people at risk.
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