Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 November 2019
377. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funding his Department is providing in respect of the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48596/19]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland has access to a high speed broadband service. The signing of the contract with National Broadband Ireland on the 19th of this month will enable that aim to become reality in the coming years. The procurement process for the National Broadband Plan has determined that the maximum cost to the State over the 25 year term of the contract will be €2.143bn, excluding VAT of €355m and excluding contingency of €480m.
My Department has a capital allocation in 2020 for the National Broadband Plan of €119 million. The multi-annual expenditure ceilings for Capital Expenditure for my Department are published in the Budget 2020 Expenditure Report. The total capital expenditure ceiling for my Department for 2021 is €517m and for 2022 is €611m. The detailed allocations required for the NBP for 2021 and for subsequent years of the NBP will be settled in the context of the annual Estimates process.
