Arranmore woman Nora Flanagan has called for high-speed broadband in a bid to halt the population decline seen over the last number of decades.
Nora says that over the past fifty years, the population has halved to a little over 400. The last child to be born on the island was two years ago.
Speaking to RTÉ, Nora said that; “Over the next twenty years unless we reverse that situation then there will be hardly anyone left on Arranmore. It’s a huge island and it’s got lots to offer.”
“There’s no younger people coming back, we need younger people.”
Nora also got a giggle out of the RTÉ reporters when she quipped; “We don’t need old people like me, we need nice young couples coming back and having more children,” she laughed.
Nora’s daughters have had to leave the island, although they would both love to return home. Daughter Eílis says that high-speed broadband would allow social and professional networking on the island and would incentivise young peoples’ return.
Nora, the organiser of the Peadar O’Donnell Conference, last night focused on reversing the population decline of Donegal islands.
Údaras na Gaeltachta CEO Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh told RTÉ that they are working on interim solutions such as digital hubs in order to allow people to work remotely.