A proposal to link the west coast of Ireland to a new transatlantic internet cable has the potential to turn Galway into “a hotbed for the IT and the gaming industry”.
This is the view of Fine Gael Galway West TD Brian Walsh who feels that connecting the west to the new cable has the potential to “create hundreds of new jobs” for the region.
The new underwater Hibernia Express connectivity cable is currently being laid from Britain to the US and will be located close to the south-west coast of Ireland when it is completed in summer 2012.
Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte is currently considering a proposal to connect population centres on the west to the high-speed cable via a branch unit stretching from Cork.
Supporting the proposal, Dep Walsh said the link would both address the “connectivity deficit experienced by areas outside of Dublin” and create jobs.
He said the “connectivity deficit” places Galway at a disadvantage when IT and gaming industry companies are looking to locate operational bases in Ireland.
“Galway has already attracted the attention of some big players in the IT and games sector,” he said, “but this opportunity to increase broadband speeds and internet access would improve our competitiveness and turn the city into a hotbed for a rapidly growing industry.”
Dep Walsh believes there is a correlation between economic activity and connectivity in a region.
“Belfast is seeing an influx of companies such as Citi and NYSE after it linked up to the Hibernia Kelvin transatlantic cable, which is connected to the city via Derry,” he said.
Dep Walsh said this is a “unique window of opportunity” and he has called on Minister Rabbitte to “give the proposal favourable consideration”.
