"It will ensure rural communities will not be left behind''.
The government has signed the contract for the National Broadband Plan today. The plan aims to bring high speed internet to 1.1m people, largely in rural Ireland.
Cabinet Ministers met this morning and signed off on the National Broadband Plan contract.
Communications Minister Richard Bruton has tweeted that today is an "historic day for Ireland."
He says it's the biggest investment in country areas since rural electrification.
"It will ensure rural communities will not be left behind and will be guaranteed the same opportunities as urban areas," he added.
This is the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification. It will ensure rural communities will not be left behind and will be guaranteed the same opportunities as urban areas #NationalBroadbandPlan #Ireland2040
— Richard Bruton (@RichardbrutonTD) November 19, 2019
The first homes under this project are likely to be connected next year while work is set to begin this year on broadband hubs, which are communal workspaces in rural Ireland with access to high speed internet.
