Two Tipperary projects are to benefit as part of a €1.2 million national fund supporting digital innovation projects.
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys has announced the 20 council-led projects being supported by the ‘Our Rural Future Digital Innovation Programme’.
They include €48,000 for ‘Shared Telecoms Infrastructure’ to boost areas of poor mobile coverage in lakeside areas of North Tipperary.
Another €24,000 goes to ‘Smart Skills for Farming Communities’ to support a new Digital Skills Training Programme aiming to boost use of digital technology on Tipperary farms.
Below are the full details on both Tipperary projects:
Project: Shared Telecoms Infrastructure
Stream: Innovation
Funding awarded: €48,000
In 2019 a Pilot Project was carried out in order to identify and assess areas within the Lough area of County Tipperary – where poor mobile coverage exists and to scope for new solutions which will positively impact mobile coverage for the local community and businesses. Following an extensive test – a set of Coverage maps were produced which indicated extensive area(s) of poor quantitative performance of voice services and data performance for each of the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).
One particular solution under consideration by the Local Authority required the identification of locations on the roads network, or in land owned by the local authority adjacent to the roads network, as suitable for the deployment of Radio Sites.
The function of these sites is to provide locations for the installation of the telecommunication networks by MNOs as required to improve mobile coverage and data services to the area surrounding the site and the public road. The safety of road users, and of those carrying out site visits is paramount when considering the suitability of these individual sites. A key determinant in any decision is to ascertain that no adverse impact on road user safety would arise, no restrictions on the driver’s visibility, no obstruction of footpaths or cycle-paths would be caused, etc.
In order to progress the next stage of this pilot project and identify solutions to Mobile Phone and Mobile data coverage deficit area(s) – this project will carry out research and develop an suitable economic solution to pilot the build of two telecommunications physical infrastructures in the area at the side of the public road. Thereafter this shared telecommunications physical infrastructure will be offered to the telecommunication industry to install a Radio Network.
Project: Smart Skills for Farming Communities
Stream: Innovation
Funding awarded: €24,000
Smart Agriculture IoT based network solutions are increasingly being used across the Agricultural Sector, fuelling the demand for digital skills. Digital technologies hold the key for a smarter, more competitive and resource-efficient agricultural sector. Irish farmers already benefit from an array of digital solutions that can help their farms to become more sustainable and productive. However, the extent to which new technologies are taken up in the field is actually limited.
Barriers preventing a more widespread use of new technologies still exist. Among these, the lack of adequate digital knowledge and skills occupies a central place. A recent Irish Farmers Association (IFA) report noted that 60% of their members identify access to supports and training in their top three barriers to the uptake in digital technologies.
To fully harness the potential that is offered by digital solutions, farmers – and the advisers who work with them – need to know what digital tools are best suited to their business, and how to use them.
The purpose of this project is to support the implementation of a new Digital Skills Training Programme, with the support of the IFA and the Connected Communities – Broadband Connection Points, the Department of Rural and Community Development in the use of new digital technologies in Irish agriculture in rural County Tipperary and is based upon the Departments BCP Thematic programmes (Remote Working, Digital Skills and Education, Arts and Culture)
The IFA is Ireland’s largest farming representative organisation and they will be asked to participate and develop this Digital Skills Training Programme and noting their role in the provision of representation, support and advice to their Members on an individual basis.
This Programme will also support the production of a number of YouTube Training Videos’ on all aspects of Smart Agriculture IoT based Network solutions -which will initially be shown and launched in the BCPs.
