National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company rolling out the National Broadband Plan (NBP) has today (Wednesday) hosted an event on Achill Island to mark the first connections to high-speed fibre broadband on the remote island.
Main build works on the island infrastructure are now complete enabling over 2,500 homes, farms and businesses to high-speed broadband. This means that residents of Ireland’s largest island will have the same access to 2 Gig, reliable, broadband as any of the over 380,000 premises that NBI has already passed across the country.
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, T.D., was present at the event which included local public representatives, community groups and residents from the island.
Minister O’Donovan said: “The National Broadband Plan is one of the largest State infrastructure projects since rural electrification, and ensures that no community, home or business is left behind from a connectivity point of view. This means that delivering broadband infrastructure to the residents of Achill Island is a natural extension of this mandate.
“I’m delighted to be here today to witness first-hand the impact that this investment and connectivity to high-speed broadband is having for homes, businesses and the entire island community who will reap the benefits of it for decades to come.”
David McCourt, Founder and Chairman of National Broadband Ireland, commented: “At NBI, we are working to the mandate from Government to ensure that no town, village, or community will be left behind under the National Broadband Plan. No premises is too rural or too remote and we’re proud to be here on Achill Island – one of 27 offshore islands in our rollout – to mark the availability of our world-class fibre network.”
TJ Malone, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, said: “The delivery of fibre broadband infrastructure to Achill Island is a significant milestone for NBI, and we are delighted to have end customers already connected and enjoying the benefits of reliable, high-speed broadband. This is a major step forward for digital connectivity, helping people stay connected, work remotely, stream seamlessly, and access vital online services.
“Fibre broadband is the gold standard for fast, reliable internet – and thanks to the National Broadband Plan, many homes and businesses across Ireland can already make the switch today. By switching to fibre, users can leave behind the limitations of outdated copper networks, which were never designed to meet the demands of today’s digital world.”
Local connected customer and owner of House of Achill, Anna Sutcliffe, said: “Since connecting to the NBI™ Network with Imagine, my business has really grown. Traditionally on the island, we are very dependent on the tourism season. Now with fibre, I finally have a fast, reliable connection to support online sales and ensure customer service year-round. I can now focus on what I enjoy most about the business: being creative.”
Glenda Brady, Commercial Director, Imagine, said: “At Imagine, our roots have always been in rural Ireland and in serving communities like Achill. This is a moment we’re really proud of. Fibre connectivity will allow business owners, like Anna, succeed in a much bigger digitally connected market, no matter where they are based.”
Local connected customer and owner of Lilí Bán Café, John Barrett, said: “I opened Lilí Bán Café in the summer of 2021 and soon realised that running a business on Achill Island has its challenges. Without fibre broadband, the weather often impacted the signal and reliability of the connection. Since connecting to NBI’s fibre with Westnet, it’s been a real game changer. At the café, we can now manage online bookings and operate a card machine. It’s exciting to see a new wave of business starting on the island and fibre connectivity has definitely played a big part in this.”
Paul Cunnane, Chief Executive Officer, Westnet, said: “Westnet has a long-standing presence on the island. We’ve built a strong customer base here over the years, and when we heard access to fibre broadband was available through the NBI™ Network, we were ready. Now that fibre is here on Achill, it means people living, working and holidaying have the same access to work, education, shopping and streaming as anyone in a big city, but in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Whether you’re looking for a full-time connection or a holiday home package, we’ve got you covered.”
