New specially designed technology quarters - places where people live and work in a high-tech environment - will be built in key locations in the mid-west.
The "e-towns", as the new quarters will be known, will be developed in new or renovated areas of Miltown Malbay, Co Clare; Cappamore, Co Limerick; Newport, Co Tipperary; and Tarbert, Co Kerry, with a fifth town in Co Offaly to be added in 2005.
In a step up from the Ennis Information Age project, which provided Internet access and computers to townspeople in Ennis in Co Clare, the initiative will involve the creation of a dedicated zone where people will live, work and train in Web-based activity using the most up-to-date "scalable broadband" communications.
Physical town renewal or new buildings will be provided, and new business partnerships between the public and private sector are being encouraged.
Planning permission for the State's first e-town at Miltown Malbay has already been granted by Clare County Council, and the e-town on a 2.2-acre campus will bring together 12 local residents trained in Web authoring and mentor training.
Participants will live in a courtyard development of 10 detached and town houses. Tech services will be provided through fixed-wire broadband and satellite communications.
The "work life accommodation" will be available for sale and will be targeted at established businesses in the traded services sectors such as graphic design, consultancy, Web design, publishing and professional services.
Investment in the physical construction of each e-town is estimated at about €3 million, which the developers - Shannon Development and the local authorities in the area - plan to fund through a public private partnership.
An additional €400,000 will be provided for "knowledge support" including training and marketing, part-funded by the Southern and Eastern Regional Programme for Innovative Actions.
Twelve people in Miltown Malbay have recently completed a certified six-month technology and community training course run by Clare VEC and will give advice to business and community groups on a "not-for-payment" basis.
According to Mr Kevin Thompstone, chief executive of Shannon Development, the development of the e-towns, such as the recently developed chain of "knowledge locations", provides infrastructure ahead of demand as recommended in the Recent Enterprise Strategy Group report.
Mr Thompstone said: "While broadband is being rolled out nationwide, and Shannon Development through Shannon Broadband is part of this, the initial concentration has been on urban centres. The smaller, more rural towns will be slower to benefit."
He regarded the e-towns as a catalyst to attract business to each area, particularly those where a lack of connectivity had discouraged investment in the past.
He said the success achieved in bringing the first e-town to Miltown Malbay was due to commitment at local level.
"The community through the local iBrickane network has played a key role in harnessing local support and involvement," he told The Irish Times.
Construction work on the Miltown Malbay work-life units is due to get under way early in 2005, and they will be offered for sale by DTZ Sherry FitzGerald.
