Chamber briefing session on high tech proposals
11 December 1996
TELECOM TO UNVEIL SPACE AGE TOWN PLAN
By
TOM GILLESPIE
THE FIRST step in a bid to secure Castlebar as the country's first 21st century technology
town will be taken on Monday night when an information evening will be held to brief
interested parties on the proposals.
Telecom Eireann are preparing a £10m to £15m national blueprint to transform a town, to be selected by open competition, into a space age high tech centre.
The location selected would have a phone installed in every home, complete with sophisticated digital mailbox, high speed access to the Internet, ISDN connection for every business and public sector organisation such as libraries and hospitals.
The industrial spin-off for the selected centre would be enormous with massive job creation potential on an un precedented scale. Officials from Telecom will address the meeting in the Welcome Inn Hotel, Castlebar to which the interested parties have been invited by Castlebar Chamber of Commerce who are spearheading the drive.
Representatives for the major industrial plants in the area, elected representatives and educational interests, including the RTC, have been requested to attend.
The continued success of the RTC campus is seen as a major factor in any developments which might take place. The criteria for the selection of the relevant town has yet to be worked out by Telecom and this should be available next month.
Chamber president Mr. Frank Greene said the briefing session was being organised so that a full picture of what was envisaged by Telecom could be spelled out. Following this a working committee would be established to prepare the necessary documentation in compliance with the terms in the criteria once it became available.
Mr. Greene said: "In order to prepare for the information revolution' which would take place in Castlebar if we were to be selected by Telecom we will have to have the full backing for the entire community.
"We want to be the town which will be selected to kick-start the information age in Ireland. We feel we have the necessary infrastructure and the community backing to achieve such a goal."
GROWING SUPPORT
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 - December 1996
