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Broadband scarcity stymieing
Inishowen
14.12.07
ENTREPRENEURSHIP in
Inishowen is being stymied because of a lack of
broadband internet access, a local senator has
warned.
Senator Pearse Doherty this week told the Seanad he
personally knows of three people in Donegal who
wanted to set up small enterprises but were hampered
because of the unavailability of broadband. |
“Broadband access is
now as vital as running water and electricity for
any enterprise to survive," said Senator Doherty.
"The Census of 2006 shows that there is a digital
divide between Dublin and the North and West, and
that the Border counties in particular are suffering |
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from lack of broadband
access."
The Sinn Féin senator said Ireland lay 22nd in the
list of 30 OECD countries on broadband penetration.
This, coupled with the "severely low" quality of
broadband in Ireland, was having a devastating
effect on economic development and the development
of small and medium enterprises, he said.
“This is particularly devastating for my county
which has suffered from job losses due to the
withdrawal of foreign direct investment.
“Affordable high speed and available broadband is
essential to the survival and development of
industry throughout the State and I am calling on
the Government to fast-track the delivery of
broadband to each and every county in the State." |
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