The Minister for Communications, Mr Dempsey, has approved the rollout of broadband for 35 towns and a digital link between Letterkenny and Derry.
Work will begin in spring and will take no more than 12 months to complete. Once work is finished, cheap "always-on" access to the Internet will be available
Figures from the Central Statistics Office today revealed that almost two-thirds of homes in Ireland do not have internet access. A total of 650,000, or 46 per cent of the country's households, had a computer but only 38 per cent had web access.
The projects, grant-aided by the Government under the National Development Plan, are co-funded by the European Union.
"They will bring ultra high speed communications links to towns with an aggregate population of over 160,000," said Mr Dempsey said. "The Department is currently examining a further 10 project proposals received in Phase II and an announcement will be made on these in the New Year.
"The projects in the towns announced today will entail the construction of about 3,200 kilometres of duct infrastructure, 200,000 fibre kilometres and an aggregate of €50 million investment," he added.
The 35 approved towns are: Athenry, Ballinasloe, Ballybofey/Stranolar, Bantry, Blarney, Carrigaline, Castleisland, Castlerea, Claremorris, Clifden, Clones, Cobh, Dingle, Furbo, Kenmare, Kildare, Killarney, Kinsale, Listowel, Longford, Maynooth, Midleton. Mitchelstown, Navan, Nenagh, Newbridge, Passage West, Rathangan, Ringaskiddy, Sallins, Skibereen, Tralee, Tramore, Trim, and Youghal.