It may not be edge of your seat material but the lack of broadband facilities in the Connemara area is making life hell for a world-renowned thriller writer living in the area.

Pat Mullan, a resident of Recess, Connemara, said the lack of broadband facilities in the area is "embarrassing" and that business in the area is suffering. Mr Mullen has been trying for a number of years to get information from eircom as to whether the local exchange will be broadband-enabled. However, he has had no luck with either eircom or the political representatives he has contacted on the issue.

"Broadband availability here in Connemara is even more important than good roads. I know of people here who are waiting for broadband to enable them to launch internet-based businesses. One would think that the business entrepreneurs in the government of Celtic Tiger Ireland would be out front on this initiative."

Both Mr Mullan and his wife, who runs a language school, experience significant difficulties in their work on a day-to-day basis because of the lack of broadband.

"You can imagine my difficulty in proofing and editing my own manuscripts. The publishing world expects that to be done via the internet today. It's embarrassing for me when I have to admit to publishers and writer colleagues in the US, UK, and elsewhere that I can't accept files or manuscript downloads because I don't have broadband. They are quite incredulous when I tell them that," said Mr Mullan, a former banker and businessman.

However, according to a spokesperson for eircom, there are no plans to upgrade the Recess exchange, "as it is uneconomic for eircom or any other operators in the market to do so."

Speaking to the Galway Independent on Monday, a spokesperson for Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Eamon O Cúiv, said he was "disappointed" that eircom would not enable the exchange at Recess, as there is a fibre optic line extending that far. He pointed out that eircom is a private company and as such the government cannot interfere in its decisions.

However, the Minister said the Government is "mindful" of the market failure to provide universal broadband and is rolling out the National Broadband Scheme, which will bring 100 per cent coverage to those areas not already covered. "This has been narrowed down to four preferred bidders, and it is hoped that the successful bidder will be announced in June 2008."

Ireland ranks 20th out of the 25 EU member states in a European survey on Information Society and Media for broadband usage.

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