THE IRISH Rural Link organisation has begun a major campaign to have broadband services provided to all rural communities in the State.
Details of the Connect Ireland campaign were given yesterday to the organisation's annual conference in Charleville, Co Cork.
However, Seamus Boland of Irish Rural Link said a number of concerns about the proposed National Broadband Scheme (NBS) had not been answered.
"The main concern is that the areas which the NBS is proposed to cover do not include all those areas where people cannot in fact get broadband," he said.
"The Department of Communications estimates that in approximately 10 per cent of the country broadband is not potentially available. A number of experts have estimated the actual figure to be twice or three times the department's figure".
Mr Boland said postcards will be distributed to rural communities all over Ireland to ensure anyone who has tried and failed to get broadband can make Minister for Communication Eamon Ryan and his officials aware of this.
"The Connect Rural Ireland campaign will ensure that the Department of Communications will know unambiguously where the problem areas are instead of having to rely only on broadband distributors as they currently do," he said.
"The campaign will also urge Mr Ryan to ensure that when the NBS is rolled out that it uses a technology platform that is capable of allowing for higher speeds and better services in the future," Mr Boland said.
He also said there were fears that technology funded under the national scheme may become rapidly obsolete.