Parents homeschooling kids battle broadband issues in rural areas Reporter: '); '); While the internet has slowly but surely become a more constant thread of our everyday lives, the lockdown has seen it turn from being an added comfort to a necessity as much so as running water and electricity. The pandemic has seen a significant rise in the need for a strong internet connection as people begin turning their back rooms into home offices and their kitchens into makeshift classrooms as we try to keep some normality in our lives. Geraldine Marron is one of thousands of parents facing into another period of home schooling her children, something that has become impossible to provide properly as she battles daily with the poor internet connection in her home on the main Dundalk to Carrickmacross road.