Fergus Cassidy

Credibility Gap

PHONES which rely on unreliable radio links; no mobile phone signal for miles; no internet access in homes or the school; queuing outside the church to send or receive an email which travels into space via satellite.

This might well fit the description of life in rural Africa, South America or other under-developed regions. But it also paints a poignant picture of life for some in parts of rural Ireland, a country richer beyond expectations, leaning heavily on its international reputation as an information and communications technology behemoth.

The Gap of Dunloe in south Kerry, is one of Ireland's premier tourist attractions, renowned for its unspoilt beauty and tranquillity. Visitors staying in Killarney take the opportunity to visit the Gap and a horse drawn trip brings them to the Black Valley. The area is dependent on tourism for economic survival. Social survival is more brittle.

Black Valley has no telephone landlines. Mobile phones don't work - masts are refused planning permission because it is a tourist area. The telephone system that is installed uses radio links and is prone to outages.

Last week Eircom turned down requests to lay lines for a proper telephone service, indicating the estimated E650,000 installation cost was prohibitive given the few people requiring the service.

It was not the first time the Black Valley was refused a service taken for granted in the rest of the country.

"It was the last place to get electricity in Ireland in 1977 and, years later in 1990, telephones arrived in our homes. But we achieved these advances only after years of struggle", Maria O'Donoghue told The Kingdom newspaper in 2002. She mentioned that two computers with net access via satellite had been installed in the sacristy at the back of the local church.

"Residents can't even do something as simple as email a friend or check something out without it costing a small fortune and having to travel to the church", she added. "The Black Valley is just 14 miles from Killarney, Ireland's premier tourist resort and we have a right to internet access like everyone else".

Last April, the lack of a decent phone service reached crisis proportions. An elderly man took ill in the early hours of the morning. The man had a serious heart problem and while his wife was on the phone to the GP service, there was a power cut and the phone went dead.

The doctor on call headed for the Black Valley and spent six hours trying to find the house. When he did, the patient was stabilised and moved to hospital.

Two months later, members of the community group wrote to the newspapers: "We, the residents of the Black Valley, a community of approximately 80 or so people in a remote but scenic area, are writing to bring to your notice how much we would appreciate an updated phone system and mobile coverage.

"These basic needs are available to the majority of the people in Ireland. Is it because we are a small community and our votes don't matter?"

The group went on to point out that there were "a number of houses with young children who would greatly benefit from internet access. Also the school within the Black Valley would benefit from the internet".

In July there was another major outage of the radio telephone system, with some residents left without service for almost two weeks. Gene Tagney, a farmer, was one of those worst affected.

"Not one person from Eircom has visited me to check my phone since I reported it 12 days ago. It is an absolute disgrace. If it was in the middle of January and there was a foot of snow on the ground you might understand.

"We live at the end of the valley near the Upper Lake and always get tourists climbing the mountains calling to our house to use the phone as there is no mobile coverage.

"This has been a nightmare for us. I have needed a vet twice and could not contact one. A few days ago I had to bring a sick horse to the vet in Killorglin. We have had breakdowns in the past but nothing like this."

Debbie O'Sullivan had no phone for five days. "We live at the end of the Black Valley and have had to drive ten miles to use the phone at Kate Kearney's Cottage."

Margaret O'Sullivan has two young children. "Anything could happen and you would not be able to contact the emergency services. People are very annoyed about this", she said.

Life in the Black Valley is the digital divide made flesh. But it's a division between the reality of Ireland's telecom's infrastructure and the myth of its government's pretensions.