Galway East TD and Minister for Rural Affairs Seán Canney has warmly welcomed the appointment of Vodafone Ireland as the approved contractor to provide retail services for the country’s Broadband Connection Points (BCPs).
National Broadband Ireland (NBI) has already surveyed more than 250 BCPs nationwide and installed more than 65 of these with internet connection points. Vodafone will provide and install the end user equipment.
Minister Canney said: “The need for high-speed broadband has never been highlighted so acutely as in the current COVID-19 crisis.
“The dependency on quality broadband services for people of all ages for work, education and leisure is there for all to see. It vindicates our decision last autumn to sign the contract for the National Broadband Plan (NBP) despite political opposition in some quarters.
“The BCPs will be a jump start for high-speed connectivity and will service remote areas while the NBP is being rolled out.
“Galway’s BCPs include Leitrim Community Centre, Kylebrack, Cortoon Lavally Community Centre, the Old Secondary School, Glenamaddy, Comhar Chuigéal Teo, Lettermullan, the Community Development Office, Inishbofin, Comhar na Noileán, Inir Oirr, Killeany, Inis Mór and Oifig Phoist Shraith Salach, Lissoughter.
“Local Authority Broadband officers are seeking to identify further connection points around the country, including more for Galway.
“I strongly encourage local communities to grasp the opportunity to make sure that the connection points are used to their best advantage. The BCPs are a springboard for remote working, digital skills training and online study.”
The first of approximately 300 BCPs will be fully connected in the weeks ahead. Two hundred BCPs will be connected by the end of the year with a further 100 connected early in the New Year.
The connection points are typically located at publicly accessible buildings, such as community centres and sports clubs.
The National Broadband Plan will connect 1.1 million people, more than 500,000 premises, 54,000 farms, 44,000 businesses and 695 schools.

For more information, contact Minister Canney on 086-2513639
June 26 2020