Anger as towns bypassed by broadband

Anger as towns bypassed by broadband

The decision by Communications Minister, Dermot Ahern, to exclude the towns of Kinnegad and Castlepollard from the national list for broadband rollout by 2005 has been described as “baffling” by Westmeath TDs this week.
Westmeath’s Labour and Fianna Fáil TDs, Deputy Willie Penrose and Deputy Donie Cassidy, voiced their reservations in relation to his decision, stating that the rapid growth in the two areas should allow them to be included on the list.

Deputy Penrose called on Minister Ahern to review his decision, saying that the expansion of Kinnegad in recent times made it a prime area for broadband provision and hoped it would be included on any new list.

His thoughts were echoed by Deputy Cassidy who said that he would be also calling on the Minister to reconsider his decision, arguing that ‘these two growth centres must be included’.

The criteria used to select towns for broadband rollout were based on having population figures over 1,500.

The 2002 Census has put the population of Kinnegad at just under 1,300, while Castlepollard’s population stands at 1,160.

“Whilst the April 2002 census put the population of Kinnegad at just under 1300, the growth of the town in the relatively short period since, would suggest that Kinnegad now complies with the criteria,” Deputy Penrose argued.

“Given Kinnegad's proximity to Mullingar, one of the Government's own gateway towns and site of the soon to be decentralised department of Education, given its status as a commuter town for many employees of high-tech companies in Dublin and given that it is one of the fastest-growing towns in the Midlands with the N6 and N4 arteries merging there, I find Kinnegad's exclusion from the list baffling,” continued Deputy Penrose.

Deputy Donie Cassidy also highlighted the huge growth that he said was going on in Westmeath at the moment, and the prominence of the two towns in the county.

“I will be calling on Dermot Ahern to include Castlepollard and Kinnegad. The difference in population is so small and the amount of houses being built at the moment - it is soon going to be over the required figure,” he stated, adding that it made good sense to have broadband in Kinnegad as a thriving ‘gateway’ town and Castlepollard as the largest North Westmeath town.

“It will also make things ‘a level playing field’, having broadband in each electoral area,” he declared.