June 04 PRESS RELEASE: GOVERNMENT BROADBAND SCHEME NOT MEETING NEEDS OF RURAL COMMUNITIES

“Information just as important as infrastructure” - Conference

The current Government approach to delivering broadband technology throughout rural Ireland is in danger of creating “white elephant” situations in small communities when the technical capability of broadband highways is not matched by an ability to provide meaningful content, the “Connected Communities” conference on regional internet development heard in Kilkenny today.

Speaking at the Conference which was organised by the South East Regional Authority, Managing Director of Community Publishing Ltd., Sean Breen said the Government’s Group Broadband Scheme was not doing enough to address the needs of smaller rural communities and was in danger of creating “information ghettos” in communities of less than 2,000 people.

“High-speed, always on broadband is meaningless to most rural families and has no clear benefits for rural-based businesses. In communities without the critical mass of population and business to take advantage of what broadband offers, the highways will remained deserted unless they are complemented by the internet equivalent of local shuttle services like “Connected Communities” and relevant interesting destinations. It is vital that the information provision side of internet services are addressed in tandem with the technical rollout”, said Mr Breen.

“Connected Communities” is a community-based internet and mobile information service which has piloted in the South-East region for the last 12 months. Its infrastructure and software are provided by Community Publishing Ltd., a company established in 2000 through funding from FBD, the Irish owned insurance company and the Irish Farmers Association.

The Government’s Group Broadband scheme has been operational since February 2004. It focuses on encouraging communities to adopt broadband in partnership with telecom operators and Internet Service Providers. In the South East Region the Government funds up to 20% of the capital cost of the hardware. “We would like to see some of this money being used to help deliver and sustain the information services that rural communities require, and that we have been able to prove can operate effectively”, said Mr Breen.

“Connected Communities” is operational in five communities throughout the South East and provides a range of information services accessible by web and mobile that deliver timely, interesting and cost-saving information to members of their community. The Development Association in each community manages its community portal, provides mobile messaging services to groups and provides websites for larger groups and business in the community.

Groups who have enthusiastically taken on board this project within their communities have quickly realised the potential and put it to uses the project co-ordinators had not anticipated. A child-care group in Raheen, Co. Wexford http://childcare.raheeninfo.ie uses the service to quickly and easily send head-lice alerts to parents by text message with links to treatment methods on the group’s website.

The community in Freshford, Co. Kilkenny http://www.freshfordinfo.ie used the service to provide detailed information about their community plans as part of a successful bid for EU funding. In Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow http://www.bagenalstowninfo.ie the local fishing group uses the texting service to alert members to the locations of bulls and what fly is currently fishing well. In Co. Waterford, the local multi-education Centre in Dunhill http://dunhillmultieducationcentre.dfbainfo.ie uses the web service to manage courses and to communicate with students outside of course times.

South East Regional Authority Project Manager for Connected Communities, Frank McCarthy said “Our project has helped make the scope and potential of the internet real and tangible, taking it out of the tech-speak and jargon of advertising and bringing it into people’s lives. It gives people the opportunity to learn, participate and improve their quality of life through getting connected to their community. They can find out what is going on through their phone, in the community centre, library or at home”.

Group Development Manager, FBD Insurance plc, Adrian Taheny said: "We at FBD see the Connected Communities initiative as an opportunity for us to put something back into the communities where we do business. Our ambition is that Connected Communities will become an integral medium allowing members of communities to talk to each other while at the same time opening up a window to the world. It would have a particular resonance for those members who physically reside outside that community but have a continuing interest in events and developments within it."

IFA Director of Operations, Pat Smith, said: “The Association was keen to develop a project that would provide a practical and relevant communications network for all sections of the community, of which the IFA branch is only one part. The Connected Communities solution was designed to enable all groupings within the community to communicate with each other and the wider world in a co-operative and cost effective way.”

In a development funded by Interreg IIIa, each of the Connected Communities projects will now benefit from the introduction of low-cost wireless broadband based on successful models already adopted in Wales. At the same time the experience in delivering relevant local content will be transferred to Wales using the Community Publishing Software.

Ends 21st June 2004

For further information contact:

Community Publishing Ltd
Sean Breen 0404 29900 / 086 2211585

South East Regional Authority
Frank McCarthy 053 63010

Murray Consultants 01 498 0300
Donnchadh O’Neill 087 205 6504