Just 11% of Mayo connectivity ready under National Broadband Plan

ELEVEN per cent of Mayo is ready for connectivity under the National Broadband Plan.

The figure has been met with disappointment by councillors, with Achill member Councillor Paul McNamara saying the rural areas have been completely left behind.

An update on the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan was given by Mayo County Council's broadband officer, Danny O'Toole, at a meeting of the authority's enterprise and economic development committee.

He explained how Ballina and Castlebar were the first areas rolled out and, as gateways, branches will extend from there.

Only 11% of the county is ready for connectivity, with 58% of Mayo pending survey by National Broadband Ireland.

The project, he said, is not where they would like it to be but the local authority didn't have much leverage over the pace of roll-out.

Most estimated connection dates in remote locations are coming back as 2025/26.

Some 36,000 premises in Mayo don't have access to high-speed broadband.

Councillor McNamara said the rural areas have been completely left behind.

There had been a marvellous opportunity for people to relocate west and facilitate working from home, but they had failed to deliver that.

The map told 'the same old story' – the big urban towns of Ballina and Castlebar feature, with the rural areas left behind.

To think that only 11% of the county was ready for high-speed broadband was 'frightening', he added. And he believed some areas will never see it as the urgency isn't there to do it.

Councillor Neil Cruise said the reality is that working people with families cannot live in rural Ireland.

There has to be some kind of mechanism to speed up the roll-out, he said, adding that the 11% figure was 'shocking'.

The point was made by Councillor Al McDonnell that there is a universal service obligation and every home in Mayo is entitled to a top technological service. A service like this is far more important in the peripheries than in urban areas.

Committee cathaoirleach Councilor Mark Duffy said the lack of speed in the roll-out to rural areas was disappointing.

There were contractors in the county who would have been able to deliver it, instead of it being centralised.

It was suggested that National Broadband Ireland attend a meeting to update members on the project.