Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2020
191. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the action and steps he will take to ensure rural communities under the national broadband plan or otherwise with particular reference to a person (details supplied) will be able to avail of high-speed broadband to support their needs particularly in view of the demands on many working remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34666/20]
View answerThe Question refers to a premises which is located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention, the contract for which was signed in November last with National Broadband Ireland (NBI). 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. I am advised by NBI that, as of 4 November 2020, almost 122,000 premises across 25 counties have been surveyed which is ahead of the full year survey target of 120,000 that had been projected by the company. In Kerry, townlands have been surveyed around Killarney including Muckross, Fossa, Kilcummin, Lissivigeen, Ballycasheen, Faha, Firies and Ballyhar. Surveying is ongoing in Tralee, Curraheen, Abbeydorney, Kilflynn, Firies, Castlemaine and Ardfert. This activity involves physically walking the routes and documenting images, notes and measurements of the poles, cables and underground ducts in each area. This is informing design solutions for provision of the fibre network. This detailed design is then used to initiate the ‘make ready’ project with eir for the area, where eir ensure any poles and ducts being reused are fit for purpose. It is also used to initiate works with the subcontractors deploying the actual fibre in the area. The first fibre to the home connections are expected next month in Carrigaline, Co Cork and they will be subject to technical testing and validation prior to a wider release of the area. I am advised that from the end of January retailers will be able to resell the service and householders in these areas will be able to order high speed broadband provided via the NBI network. Further details are available on specific areas within Kerry through the NBI website which provides a facility for any premises within the intervention area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website www.nbi.ie. Individuals who register with this facility will receive regular updates on progress by NBI on delivering the network and specific updates related to their own premises when works are due to commence. Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP and will provide high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. As of the 30 October, some 187 BCP sites have been installed by NBI with 59 already connected. 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. Valentia Cable Station and Chapeltown BCPs are now live. Further BCPs installed by NBI and awaiting connectivity in Kerry include Gneeveguilla (Tureencahill), Railway Station Heritage Centre and Community Space, Killenagh, Kielduff Community Centre, and Cillín Liath. I note that Kielduff Community Centre is 8 kilometres from the premises referred to in the Question and this may be of assistance pending the rollout of the National Broadband Plan. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/. A number of schools in Kerry including Boheeshil National School, Dunloe Upper and Coars National School have been installed by NBI and will be connected to high speed broadband as part of the BCP initiative in the coming months. My Department will work with Department of Education and Skills to prioritise the remaining schools to be connected over the term of the NBP. While substantial progress has been made to date, the Covid 19 pandemic has had an impact on the delivery of the fibre network. The extent of this impact is currently being assessed and NBI has committed to put in place measures to mitigate the impact in as far as possible. The Covid 19 pandemic has also highlighted the importance of good reliable broadband to ensure that citizens across Ireland can avail of remote working, education and other essential online facilities. This is reflected in the commitments in the Programme for Government where delivery of the National Broadband Plan will be a key enabler to many of the policies envisaged particularly around increased levels of remote working.
The Programme for Government has committed to seek to accelerate the roll out of the National Broadband Plan. In this regard, my Department continues to engage with NBI to explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of this rollout to establish the possibility of bringing forward premises which are currently scheduled in years 6 and 7 of the current plan to an earlier date. Exploring the potential to accelerate the network rollout is being undertaken in parallel with the measures required to mitigate delays arising as a result of Covid-19.
In April 2020, all major telecommunications providers committed to a number of measures to help people stay in touch and work from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, a number of operators have implemented further supports for consumers, such as for students in education, who require a high data usage package, by increasing data limits on many existing packages and by the introduction of new packages with very high, or unlimited data offerings. The market for mobile packages with very high, or unlimited data offerings, is becoming increasingly competitive and this is positive for all consumers.
