Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
93. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the number of new connections to homes and businesses that will be completed in 2020 in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively by the national broadband plan. [25000/20]
View answer100. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the number of homes and businesses in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively, that will be connected to high speed broadband by the national broadband plan in 2020. [24999/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 100 together.
The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed on 19 November last to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the nearly 540,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.
The NBP network will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. This represents an increase from the 150Mbps committed to under the Contract. The deployment plan forecasts premises passed in all counties within the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State having access to high speed broadband within the next four years.
Design work is complete or ongoing in target townlands across 21 counties, and steady progress is being made with over 91,000 premises surveyed as of 15 September. This survey work is feeding into detailed designs for each deployment area and laying fibre should commence shortly with the first fibre to the home connections expected in Cork around December this year.
In County Laois, surveys have recently commenced in the areas around Portlaoise and the surrounding townlands. This involves physically walking the routes and documenting images, notes and measurements of the poles, cables and underground ducts in each area. In County Offaly survey work is underway in areas located around Brosna, Shinrone, Mount Heaton and areas close to the county boundary with Tipperary. This survey work will inform design solutions for provision of the fibre network. NBI provides a facility for any premises within the Intervention Area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website (https://nbi.ie/map/).
Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. Some 144 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and the high speed broadband service will be switched on in these locations through service provider contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development for publicly available sites and by the Department of Education and Skills (DES) for schools.
A number of schools in County Laois, Shanganamore, Killadooley, St Joseph’s National School and Gaelscoil Shlí Dála will be connected for educational access as part of this initiative, while the public will be able to benefit from this service at locations across the county such as EMO and Vicarstown Community Centres and Donaghmore. Shinrone and Lumcloon National Schools in County Offaly will also be connected for educational access as part of this initiative, while the public will be able to benefit from this service at locations across the county such as Kilconfert, Coolderry and Seir Kieran Community Centres and Ballycommon Telework and Training Centre. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.
Bringing connectivity to remote rural locations is central to promoting regional development and BCPs represent an important delivery in the early stages of the National Broadband Plan.
