Notrhern Ireland-The farmer and the internet.

NORTHERN IRELAND-

Good internet access is beneficial to small businesses

Sinn Féin MP MLA for Fermanagh South Tyrone Michelle Gildernew has welcomed the EU Commission’s findings and agrees that good internet access can make farms and companies in rural areas, especially SME’s, (Small to Medium Enterprises) less isolated and more competitive.

Michelle Gildernew explained: "The EU Commission has stated that connecting the 30% of the EU’s rural population that has no high speed internet access should be a priority for achieving ’broadband for all’ by 2010.

"Broadband access is becoming more and more essential for businesses.

"There are pockets of the North particularly in my constituency of Fermanagh-South Tyrone which are still finding it difficult to access a reliable service.

Sinn Féin recently contacted DETI Minister Arlene Foster about the delivery of broadband in these local areas by BT."

The Minister for Agriculture continued: "The problem is in many cases where a fixed line connection is not possible, then a satellite service is offered, and the Minister has admitted that for many potential customers this is not an option or a choice they wish to partake of."

She concluded; "The European Parliament are currently discussing a proposal to make a further one billion euro available through the European Economic Recovery Plan to spread high speed internet access more widely throughout European regions.

"I would hope the Minister will ensure that some of that funding if it becomes available will be used in hard to reach places in the North."