CASTLEBAR'S BID FOR
NATIONAL HIGH TECH CENTRE
20 November 1996
Chamber urges united front in scramble for Telecom pilot project
By
TOM GILLESPIE
CASTLEBAR is to make a bid to become the high-tech age centre of the country in a multi-million blueprint being prepared by Telecom Eireann.
The project would involve Telecom providing a full range of state-of-the-art communications facilities to every home, business and public utility in the community.
Castlebar Chamber of Commerce is spearheading the drive to convince Telecom that Castlebar is the ideal base for their pilot project.
Full details of the selection criteria will be published later this month and the town chosen would be announced next February or March.
Work would begin next year and the project could be completed within a further twelve months.
Every home will be provided with a phone and a sophisticated so-called digital mailbox, to allow transmission, reception and storage of a wide range of digital services, including fax and voice mail.
Each home and business will be given high speed access to the Internet and high quality 15ON lines will be connected into every business and public sector organisation such as libraries and hospitals.
Castlebar Chamber of Commerce has already approached Telecom on the 21st century proposal. Chamber president, Mr. Frank Greene said last night Castlebar was ideally geared for such a high-tech pilot project, particularly with the success to date of the RTC in the town.
"We are the third fastest growing town in Ireland and would be suitably placed for such a development in conjunction with Telecom", he said.
Mr. Greene added: "We can assure Telecom of the complete support of the business sector in Castlebar and district for such a an advanced communications experiment.
"With what appears to be the necessary criteria, Castlebar has the passion and support for such a project."
Telecom Chief Executive Mr. Alfie Kane said the objectives of the programme were twofold. On the one hand it was to show what can be done when the tools are in place. On the other, it is to use this as a pilot scheme to discover as a country what else can be done when people come to terms with the enabling technology.
Mr. Kane said they would be looking for companies in the computer hardware and software sector to join as commercial partners in the project which could cost up to £10 million.
Mr. Greene added: "The Infrastructural developments in Castlebar have advanced in leaps and bounds in recent years.
"If our application were to be successful it would place Castlebar at the front line in telecommunications networking and would open up many employment possibilities.
"This is a once off opportunity for the town to sell itself. It is imperative that this opportunity is not lost and our politicians, urban council, County Council, industrialists, commercial and community leaders alike must work in unison to achieve this goal."
Mayo County Councillor Beverley Cooper-Flynn said if Castlebar was selected it would give the town a technological advantage and competitive edge over every other town in Ireland.
She said: "It is vital that all businesses and elected representatives lend their support immediately to the campaign to bring this technology to Castlebar.
"I am offering my support as I believe that this technology will make Castlebar a very attractive location for the setting up of new business and therefore the creation of jobs which are so badly needed in our community.
"This technology is the way of the future and everything possible should be done to ensure that the
town of Castlebar becomes the pilot town for this particular project."
Connaught Telegraph - News & Sport - November 1996
