Broadband will be made available in 80 more towns around the country, as part of an important initiative to be launched by Communications Minister Dermot Ahern TD later today.
The 80-town rollout will be in addition to the 19 towns covered by the Metropolitan Area Network.
Interviewed on RTE radio this morning, the Minister said that annual funding of €35m for the next four years will be provided to local communities. He also said that he would be introducing tougher fines for telcos that break the law, with fines equivalent to 10pc of total predicted revenue.
The Minister’s announcement will be made at Government Buildings this afternoon, where he will also launch a major report on broadband by the Information Society Commission (ISC).
By Brian Skelly
