Broadband for Secondary Schools

Clare Fine Gael Senator Tony Mulcahy has welcomed Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte TD commitment to roll out high speed broadband on a phased basis to all post primary schools. This follows on a very successful pilot scheme which saw speeds up to 100 Mbs been received by 78 schools.

Senator Mulcahy who is Fine Gael Communications Energy and Natural Resources spokesman in the Senate commented “I welcome this commitment by the Pat Rabbitte working in cooperation with the department of Education to find the resources to enable this programme to be rolled out. We need our students to have the best resources available. This will give them the skills necessary when they leave secondary school. Having IT skills and access to the high speed broadband is so important nowadays that it is in the country’s interest that the financial resources are found to enable this project to be rolled out across Ireland. If we are to get back to the situation where Ireland was in the 90’s where we were seen by the rest of the world as THE SILICON ISLE then we need to examine where we can achieve this. Education is key to achieving this. Everyone knows we are in a very difficult financial situation with high levels of unemployment caused by the previous government who did not control spending and just threw taxpayers money around like a drunken sailor. This country can be turned around. Irish people are fantastic communicators we need people to start looking for solutions and not being negative the whole time. The media has a powerful part to play in this, let’s start getting Ireland out of the negative news headline and start selling Ireland again to the world. Large multinationals are based here in Clare and the Midwest because they have access to European markets, a well educated work force, 3rd level colleges, a benign tax environment, an International Airport that has huge growth potential. High speed broadband whether it is to Industrial estates, Education facilities, Homes or Businesses is essential for Irelands recovery and anything that facilitates this has to be welcomed”
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Media queries to Senator Mulcahy on 086 2436345. E mail: tony@tonymulcahy.com