Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan and Midlands-North-West European Parliament candidate Brendan Smith has said that the failure to bring the National Broadband Plan to cabinet this week is a complete failure of rural Ireland and the border region as unacceptable delays continue in providing broadband in rural areas.

Deputy Smith explained, “We are supposed to be committed to the European Commission’s ‘Strategy for a European Gigabit Society’ which aims to have every home in Europe with access to a connectivity offering of 100Mbps or more by 2025. Today’s delay means we are no nearer this target.

“Having spent considerable time recently again across Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim, Louth and other neighbouring counties one of the major issues brought up with me everywhere is poor broadband services.

“The government must not see the urgency here. There is a requirement for high speed broadband in all sectors. Farmers, schools, businesses – small and medium, and most services all require high speed broadband that we do not have. 

“It is becoming embarrassing at this stage in comparison to our European counterparts. People need a timeline and the government must make the provision of high-speed broadband a priority rather than more delays,” concluded Deputy Smith.