Speaking at a public meeting in Corr na Móna last night (Wednesday 19th April) Pádraig Ó hAoláin, Chief Executive of Údarás na Gaeltachta, said there was an urgent need to substantially upgrade Gaeltacht infrastructure. “Roads, broadband and electricity are the main development arteries” he said, “although regional roads have improved greatly in the past few years there is an urgent need to give a higher priority to the new road through Connemara from Galway, it is essential that the ESB renew the planning process to bring the 110kv network from Galway to West Connemara and there is a need for state intervention to provide high-speed broadband connectivity throughout the Gaeltacht. Without this essential infrastructure it is very difficult for An tÚdarás to properly serve the development needs of the Gaeltacht areas.”