The ongoing campaign to extend Broadband coverage in Galway and the West of Ireland is set to intensify in the coming weeks - when the Western Regional Authority puts in place a plan of action endorsed at their Annual General Meeting in JuIy.

On Friday September 8, a delegation representing the Authority will travel to Belfast to meet with representatives of the British Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to examine how the British Government went about implementing a programme of action which led to 100% Broadband coverage in Northern Ireland within a two year penod.

On foot of their findings, the Authority will travel to Dublin at a later date, to meet with Communications Minister, NoeI Dempsey TD, where they will present their proposaIs for a plan of action on Broadband in the West, based on the Northern Ireland model.

"We are very hopeful that the Ytrip to Belfast will provide us with the necessary information and direction to put us in a position to go to the Minister Noel Dempsey and put forward our plans for 100% coverage in -the Western Region. It is about time that the Government took definitive action once and for ail," said Western Regional Authority Member, Cllr. Seosamh Ó Cuaig.

"It is expected that Broadband wiII be extended to Cill Chiarán this week, which is to be very welcomed, but apart from that example there has been a severe lack of progress and urgency on the Government's part to hurry Eircom into action to extend coverage," Cllr. Ó Cuaig added.

Meanwhile, Cllr. Ó Cuaig also pointed to the fact that Údarás na Gaeltachta were currently having a report carried out on Broadband coverage in the Gaeltacbt region as having a significant bearing on speeding-up Government action.

"We have employed Norcontel to carry out a report on the present state of Broadhand coverage un the Gaeltacht area and we intend to present our findings to Minister Dempsey. State intervention is absolutely vital in speeding-up this issue and our findings wuIl demonstrate that," said Údarás member, Cllr. Seosamh O Cuaig.

Cllr. Ó Cuaig also said that there should be a concerted effort by all the political parties to highlight the Broadband issue in the West of Ireland in the run up to the next General Election.

"Things are very much falling into place un terms of our lobby for a specific course of action. I believe that on the basis of our trip to Belfast to meet with members of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment, and the Report by Údarás na Gaeltachta, we have a compelling case for Govemment action in the run up to the next General Election," Cllr. Ó Cuaig added.

BY SEAMUS DOLAN - Curadh Chonnachtach 1/9/2006

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