In the upcoming weeks, National Broadband Ireland will conduct engineering studies on the Aran Islands to connect over 1,000 households and businesses on Inis Mór, Inis Meáin, and Inis Oírr to high-speed internet.

As part of the plan, it was revealed in February that 17,806 households and businesses have access to dependable high-speed internet. When the plan is completely implemented, it will eventually reach 40,000 locations throughout Galway.

Locals on the Aran Islands have welcomed the recent changes with open arms. Although the island now boasts a Gteic digital and innovation centre and remote working facility, Chloe Ní Mháille, manager of Comhar Caomhán Teoranta at Inis Oírr Community Development Cooperative, emphasised that individuals need a more dependable internet connection.

She noted that given the present housing problem, individuals should be able to live and work remotely on the island while still making a respectable living, and they shouldn't feel compelled to go inland because the island doesn't have dependable internet.

Inishturk South Island and Turbot Island off the coast of Galway, Long Island and Hare Island off Cork, Inishtyre off Mayo, and Inis Mhic a Doirn and Inishfree Island off the coast of Donegal are only a few of the ten Irish islands off the west coast where NBI remains accessible.

NBI will start the plan's design process as soon as the engineering surveys on the Aran Islands are finished in the upcoming weeks.