• Rollout of broadband plan a key component of Government’s ‘Our Rural Future’ plan

Minister and local TD Heather Humphreys has congratulated Cavan’s Tom Canning after his farm business was the first in the country to be connected under the Government’s National Broadband Plan.

Tom Canning Agricultural Consultants Ltd is based near Crossdoney, Co Cavan.

Speaking today, Minister Humphreys said:

“Cavan has made history with the news that one of our farm businesses is the first of its kind in the country to be connected under this important plan.

“I want to congratulate Tom and all his staff – and no doubt he will be followed by many more farm businesses in Cavan in the months to come.

“The rollout of the National Broadband Plan is a key component of ‘Our Rural Future’, the Government’s five year strategy for rural Ireland which I launched in Croke Park.

“This is a project akin to electrification – it will be a gamechanger for Cavan, the border region and rural Ireland in general.”

Minister Humphreys added:

“I’m delighted to say that boots are very much on the ground. There will be 60,000premises connected by the end of the year.

“To put the scale of the undertaking into context, the length of cable that needs to be used for the rollout of broadband would wrap around the world over 3.5times.

“So this is like something we have never done before.

“Our Rural policy runs until 2025. By the time we reach the end of the lifetime of this policy, we estimate that over 90% of premises in the State will have access to high speed broadband.

“In addition, a number of commercial operators are upping their game and have announced further investment plans in high-speed broadband.”

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