EU Funding Of €1.5m Secured For Public Wifi Services

Ireland is set to receive funding of €1.5 million from the EU for public wifi services, securing 100 vouchers in the third call for applications under the EU's WiFi4EU initiative, the Minister of State for Community Development, Natural Resources and Digital Development, Seán Canney, has announced.

The initiative provides funding to Local Authorities to establish free Wi-Fi in public areas such as town squares, libraries and parks. Successful applicants are issued with vouchers worth €15,000 to install Wi-Fi hotspots. The hotspots must be free of charge to the user and free from advertising.

Speaking about the results, Minister Canney said: "The European Commission has confirmed that Ireland has secured an additional 16 vouchers worth €240,000 under the latest call for applications under the WiFi4EU initiative. Combined with previous calls, Irish Local Authorities have now been awarded 100 vouchers worth €1.5 million in total. This is very, very good news and illustrates once again the dedication of our Local Authorities, particularly through their Broadband Officers, to improving connectivity across the country."

Minister Canney added: "28 of Ireland's 31 Local Authorities have now secured WiFi4EU vouchers. Twenty-three have secured the maximum of four vouchers available to any Irish Local Authority. These are impressive statistics that show how serious our Local Authorities are about providing much-needed services to the public.

"To ensure that we all get the most from this initiative, the Department of Rural and Community Development, has committed to provide matched funding of €15,000 for every voucher awarded to Ireland by the EU, effectively doubling the value of the investment."

(MH/JG)