Sinn Féin Call For Urgent Meeting Over £165m Broadband Scheme

Sinn Féin leader in Northern Ireland, Michelle O'Neill has called for an urgent meeting over serious concerns of a £165 million rural broadband scheme.

Project Stratum, the Department for the Economy (DfE) scheme, will improve connectivity for those unable to access broadband services of at least 30 Mbps.

Calling for a series of factors to be introduced to the scheme, the party's vice president said: "I have a number of concerns about the Department for the Economy's latest plans to invest in broadband.


"Priority should be given to areas with weakest broadband, the plans should be fully rural proofed, the budget must be adequate, the investment should include social clauses, stakeholders must be properly consulted, and regional imbalances should be factored into the Department's assessment of value for money.

"I am not satisfied that the Department's plans meet these tests."

Ms O'Neill has penned a letter to the Department requesting a meeting over the concerns.

She added: "Rural areas have been poorly served by the roll-out of broadband. This has had a damaging impact on businesses, on education, health and other key public services in rural communities.

"Accessibility to good broadband is key to attracting investment, jobs and services to rural areas.

"There is a need to provide a level playing field to people living and working in rural communities.

"It is absolutely essential that rural areas which have been left behind to date are prioritised in future public investment programmes."