Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2020
536. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way in which a project (details supplied) links in with the national broadband plan; her plans to expand the project to other locations outside of the five chosen as bases to deploy the scheme; the way in which the five bases were selected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13963/20]
View answer537. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the costs incurred to date with a project (details supplied); if she consulted with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment on the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13964/20]
View answer538. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the duration of the contract with a supplier (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13965/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 536 to 538, inclusive, together.
The initiative which the Deputy refers to is an exploratory project involving my Department, the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and Microsoft Ireland, to explore the possibility of using a new technology to deliver free broadband to second-level students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their Leaving Cert. cycle.
The initiative will explore the capacity to use the existing high-speed broadband connection in a public libraries across each of five counties - Carlow, Donegal, Kilkenny, Mayo and Waterford - as a conduit to connect students in households which currently do not have adequate internet access. The initiative will be targeted primarily at students enrolled in Delivering Equality of Opportunity (DEIS) schools.
The five counties to participate in the trial initiative were selected on the basis of a number of criteria, including the internet capacity of public libraries within each county and the proximity of public libraries in those counties to DEIS schools. The selection of these locations was a collaborative process between my Department and the LGMA.
The individual library branches and specific schools for participation within these counties have yet to be finalised, and the final decisions will involve a range of stakeholders including my Department, the LGMA and the Department of Education and Skills in the context of identifying suitable DEIS schools.
The trial initiative will last for a maximum of 24 months, with a progress evaluation to be conducted every six months by an Evaluation Board. The outcomes of the trial initiative will determine the potential to expand the project into other locations.
No costs have been incurred to date. Any physical assets required for the trial initiative will be provided by Microsoft, and the project will not seek to recover any monies from participant households. Any other incidental costs might which arise as the project progresses are expected to be negligible.
As an exploratory trial project, initiative is a collaboration between a number of public and private sector bodies on a not-for-profit basis and will not in any way impact on the contracts for the National Broadband Plan or the Broadband Connection Points.
My officials are in regular contact with their colleagues in the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment on a range of telecommunications-related matters and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment was aware of this initiative.
