'Immense challenges' to deliver broadband to every Mayo home

Among the first tasks the newly elected Mayo County Council will have when it sits for the first time in June will be to adopt the Mayo Digital Strategy.

The policy, which came up for discussion at last week’s meeting of the council’s Economic Development strategic policy committee (SPC), runs from 2024-2029 and is framed around the five-year lifetime of the next council with a review at its midpoint.

Broadband officer with the council, Danny O’Toole, said among the biggest challenges in Mayo is the rollout of the National Broadband Plan with several areas yet to be connected.

“The challenges are immense to deliver fibre to every home in the county. The National Broadband Plan is slow in Mayo because it has to work its way out from the urban centres like Castlebar and Ballina.”

Mr O'Toole said he receives contact from 10 or 15 people a week wondering how they can get broadband at their home or business, adding that National Broadband Ireland (NBI) is contractually obliged to deliver fibre to every home in Ireland by 2027.

Farming representative on the SPC Martin Gilvarry said the situation was very unfair on farmers who are asked to submit a lot of documentation online nowadays.

The Mayo Digital Strategy 2024-2029 will come before the first meeting of the new council in June.