More than 120 towns across the State will enjoy broadband infrastructure links next year, according to the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke.

Linking the towns will involve the laying of more than 1,000 km of cable and the project should be completed toward the end of next year.

Ms O'Rourke also told an information seminar on e-commerce that more than 50 applications had been received by the deadline for the Government's €2.5 million e-commerce fund. "These are currently being evaluated and I expect to be in a position to announce the successful projects early next month," she said.