Connecting Irish rural communities with the National Broadband Plan

The purpose of this report is to investigate the current and future benefits of the National Broadband Plan to the Irish economy and society. These benefits are identified across several categories, namely: economic, enterprise, societal, and individual benefits. Identified benefits are of both a qualitative and quantitative nature, and draw on domestic and international research. Given the changing structure of the Irish economy post-Covid and the increasing importance of broadband, it is anticipated that this will become an iterative process as the rollout of high-speed broadband continues in the coming years. The key findings from this research are as follows:

• The NBP is addressing a digital divide between rural and urban regions and is an enabler of key Government policies
• The impact of Covid-19 on the Irish economy means the quantifiable benefits of the NBP are expected to be much higher than initially estimated in 2019,  with the increased prevalence of remote working the key driver of benefits to households in the Intervention Area
• There is evidence of strong latent demand in the Intervention Area for high-speed broadband services which will underpin significant economic, individual and societal benefits.
• Key enterprise sectors such as agriculture and hospitality in the Intervention Area will benefit from the NBP, unlocking new economic opportunities, while contributing to balanced regional development.
• The NBP will also contribute to social cohesion and redress the imbalance in access to public and private services.