Analysis: Pressure is on to get broadband rollout back on track

News of delays and reduced targets for the National Broadband Plan has come at a time when demand for high-speed internet in rural Ireland is stronger than ever due to the pandemic

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar was very proud of the fact that his government got the National Broadband Plan contract over the line but the project is facing major setbacks. Picture: RollingNews.ie

Leo Varadkar has described the €3 billion National Broadband Plan as the “biggest single investment in rural Ireland ever”.

The Tánaiste was very proud of the fact that the Fine Gael-led minority government got the contract over the line in 2019 in the face of significant opposition from the Department of Finance and indeed from the opposition itself.

Since the pandemic began, the demand for high-speed broadband has grown even stronger. Varadkar and other government ...