Broadband: The Government's strategy to build telecoms networks in 19 regional towns is proceeding on time and under budget, the Minister for Communications, Mr Ahern, has said.
His Department has been allocated €32.5 million to spend on its plan to provide broadband to the regions.
This will bring the total investment in the Government's broadband project to €65 million. This project will provide fibre-optic networks in areas where there is little or no infrastructure capable of supplying high-speed Internet connections.
Mr Ahern said it was his intention to continue with the project, which envisages providing State-owned fibre networks to more than 130 towns with a population of more than 1,500 people. But he said the Department was looking at other technologies that could deliver similar results.
Meanwhile, the Government-backed Digital Hub project based in the Liberties district of Dublin will not receive any State grants next year from the Department of Communications. Mr Ahern said the State's commitment to finance the start-up of the new venture was now over.
The Digital Hub is seeking to become a primary location for digital media and other types of technology firms to set up. Over the past three years the State has provided funding worth €80 million.