The Government's approach to delivering broadband technology throughout Ireland is in danger of alienating rural communities by creating "information ghettos".
That was the message delivered at a conference in Kilkenny yesterday on developing Internet services across the regions.
Organised by the South East Regional Authority, the "Connected Communities" conference highlighted how broadband services are meaningless unless people in rural areas have access to Internet sites that actually relate to them and their lives.
Speaking at the conference, Mr Seán Breen, managing director of Community Publishing Ltd, said the Government's broadband scheme is not doing enough to address the needs of smaller rural communities and is in danger of creating "information ghettos".
"Broadband is meaningless to most rural families and has no clear benefits for rural-based businesses.
"In communities without the critical mass of population and business to take advantage of what broadband offers, the highways will remain deserted unless they are complemented by relevant, interesting [Internet] destinations," Mr Breen said.
Over the past year, a community-based Internet and information service called Connected Communities has been piloted in the south-east.
Mr Frank McCarthy of the South East Regional Authority urged the Government to channel some of the money being spent on broadband infrastructure into setting up Internet sites and services useful to rural areas.
"It gives people the opportunity to learn, participate and improve their quality of life through getting connected to their community," he said.