Thousands forced to commute from Laois to Dublin due to broadband blackspots

Many of the 12,000 Laois commuters who face daily trips to Dublin and other places for work would not have to do so if rural broadband was rolled out.

So said Laois Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley during a Dáil Debate on the National Broadband Plan. He also claimed that more than 25,000 households in Laois and Offaly remain unserviced while the plan to cover the country is stalled. 

“The National Broadband Plan, (NBP), is supposed to connect the remaining 542,000 households and businesses requiring high-speed broadband. Taking County Laois alone, there are 12,721 houses or premises left to be serviced, while in Offaly there are 12,420 remaining.

"There are large areas in both counties that are not covered, including Banagher, Ferbane, Daingean, Rhode, Geashill, Kilcormac and Killeigh, along with many other places in Offaly. In Laois the areas not covered include Borris-in-Ossory, Ballaghmore, Ballinakill, Clonaslee, Rosenallis, Vicarstown, Ballylynan, Graigue and Crettyard," he said.

He said broadband blackspots has a direct impact on job opportunities and choices.

"Almost 12,000 people commute from Laois to work every day and many of them do not need to do so. Many of them have complained to me, saying that if they had services locally, they would not have to commute long distances," he said.

The Laois TD said the procurement for the National Broadband Plan has been "a series of failures" leaving homes and businesses waiting for reliable high-speed broadband. He called for a plan B.

“In 2012 Sinn Féin proposed the use of infrastructure already in place and in State hands for the NBP. The electricity infrastructure which is going to virtually every home in the State, is already being used to carry fibre.

“The backbone of saving and growing rural Ireland will be the future high-speed broadband network which is long promised. When this Government took power in 2016 they committed to connecting every home by 2020. We don’t know if it will even begin in 2020. This Government need to realise the vital need for broadband and for this to start," he said.

He asked the Minister responsible Richard Bruton when the contract would be signed and when work begin and how long will the contract take to deliver.

Just one company is in the running to deliver rural broadband in a process that has been beset by controversy and led to the resignation of a minister.