Dep Paul Connaughton has called for funding to be made available to install broadband infrastructure when the streets of Tuam are dug up for the town’s new €23 million sewerage scheme.
The Galway East deputy has said the most sensible approach would be to carry out both installations during the “big dig”.
Dep Connaughton’s comments follow concerns raised at a recent Tuam Town Council meeting, as well as a meeting between the four Galway East deputies and Minister for Communications, Energy, and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan.
Dep Connaughton said the Minister told the group his Department had no finances to pay the €750,000 to put in the necessary ducting to enable broadband to be laid at the same time as the sewerage infrastructure. However Minister Ryan said he would make available a civil servant from his Department to liaise with the other stakeholders to see who could or would make the money available.
“I believe there is a real critical issue here for all stakeholders,” Dep Connaughton said. “If in the middle of a recession the powers that be allow the streets of Tuam to be dug up twice, possibly inside one year, then it will be obvious to everybody there is nobody in charge of the shop.”
He also suggested that there could be an underspend on the €23 million sewerage and drainage scheme due to the drop in the cost of large contracts, and said he would closely monitor the fate of money that is left over from the project.
