The Government will provide an additional €4 million for the extension of broadband to small communities and rural areas.

The Minister for Communications, Mr Noel Dempsey, said the cash would be made available to bring broadband connectivity to more than 150 communities or 100,000 people under the State's group broadband scheme.

Mr Dempsey said he wanted every village and rural community in the country to have a broadband option.

There should be no home, office, school or library that cannot get broadband - real broadband that enriches the online experience, he added.

Under this second phase of the group broadband scheme, technical experts will be based in the regions to advise communities and service providers on how to establish a local group broadband scheme, as well as matching communities and service providers that wish to take part in the scheme.