Minister Calleary visits Inishturk, Co Mayo

The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, visited Inishturk Island in Co Mayo to see first-hand the impact of Government investment in the island community through a range of rural, community and island development programmes.

During the visit, the Minister met with local residents and community groups and viewed a number of projects that have received Government support in recent years. He also heard from the local community about their priorities for the sustainable future development of the island under the Renewed Community Futures Plan.

Speaking during the visit, Minister Calleary said:

The Minister’s visit coincided with the launch of the National Broadband Ireland network on the island, marking another important milestone for the National Broadband Plan. This rollout ensures that people living and working on Inishturk have the same opportunities as those in our towns and cities, supporting sustainable communities, remote working, education and local enterprise in even the most remote parts of Mayo and beyond.

The Minister also met with the network of local authority broadband officers who held a meeting of the Telecommunications Action Group at the Broadband Connection Point on the island.

The meeting was an opportunity for the Minister to acknowledge the crucial role of broadband officers in capitalising on the significant investment in digital connectivity improvements through the rollout of the National Broadband Plan and the establishment of a national network of over 400 remote working hubs and 300 Broadband Connection Points.

A key focus of the next iteration of the Government’s rural development policy, Our Rural Future, will be on maximising the potential of these networks for the benefit of rural communities.

Speaking at the TAG meeting, the Minister said: