Council recruits broadband officer to help enhance county-wide WiFi accessibility
By Mary Dennehy
SOUTH Dublin County Council is currently recruiting a Broadband Officer, who will be tasked with preparing a Digital Strategy for the county.
The council confirmed the new post in a reply to Tallaght South councillor Dermot Richardson (Sinn Fein), who suggested that a broadband feasibility study be carried out – with the goal of making WiFi accessible to all citizens in public areas of the county.
To date, free WiFi has been rolled out in conjunction with local businesses in villages including Tallaght, Rathcoole, Palmerstown, Saggart, Clondalkin, Lucan, Templeogue, Rathfarnham and Newcastle.
Libraries across the county are also WiFi zones alongside the Brookfield Youth and Community Centre, Civic Theatre, Tallaght Stadium, Grange Castle Golf Club, Corkagh Park, Round Tower Clondalkin, the council’s HQ in Tallaght and the Clondalkin civic offices.
To continue bringing free internet access to communities, the council is now recruiting a Broadband Officer.
According to the council: “The council is currently recruiting a Broadband Officer, who will have the task amongst others of preparing a Digital Strategy for the county.
“This will incorporate an analysis of broadband provision within the county and will detail working with the relevant operators to remediate and resolve areas of poor availability and/or coverage.
“By means of context, the elected members will be aware that the council has supported significant roll-out of WiFi throughout the county under the villages and other initiatives.”