Call for council to meet with NBI to highlight lack of fibre broadband in rural areas

Cllr Liam McDaniel has called on the council to ask that National Broadband Ireland (NBI) give a presentation to the members updating them on the long awaited provision of fibre broadband to properties in rural parts of the district and when connection will likely be provided.

Cllr McDaniel said that he was asking that the council contact NBI to request an update on when they see the remainder of the district receiving a fibre broadband connection.

“Five years ago when I was out knocking on doors in the election, one of the big issues in rural areas was broadband and that issue hasn’t gone away. We’re still trying to get connections in rural parts of the district,” explained the Fianna Fáíl councillor.

He added that employers are giving opportunities to people to work from home and that the council is encouraged to have meetings via Zoom. Cllr McDaniel also told an anecdote about how his neighbour had to use his wifi recently for an important Zoom meeting.

He continued: “With all the progress that has been made, there's still areas out there in the district and across the county I’m sure that are still lacking with the fibre broadband service that at this stage we all should have.” Cllr McDaniel concluded that they need timelines for when people living in rural areas will receive the vital broadband service.

Cllr Tom Farrell supported the motion and said that it was important for people working from home to have fibre broadband. “I think we should get somebody in to explain to us where it’s going, where it’s at and when we might see improvement.”

He also said that it was important that the council get a timeline so that people know exactly when to expect that locals will obtain fibre broadband.

Cllr Vinnie McCormack added that it would be good to have the NBI in the chamber for them to give an update on the situation.

“I know progress has been made and some of the timelines for the properties I’ve been chasing up have been brought forward...There are still some properties out there where they're talking quarter 3 of '25 or quarter 1 of '26 for the provision of fibre broadband,” he said.

The Fianna Fáil councillor said that he would like to see some of NBI's timelines for the provision of fibre broadband brought forward and for the council to question them on the rationale behind “doing it by townsland in the initial phases rather than looking at the thing as a whole.”