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National Broadband Plan

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021

Wednesday, 13 January 2021

Questions (111)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

111. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which the national broadband plan continues to address the issues of the lack of high-speed broadband in areas in County Kildare in both urban and rural settings, having particular regard to the need to facilitate persons working from home or from industrial parks close to home given the challenges of the need to reduce long commutes and meet the challenges of Covid-19; the extent to which the linking up of the areas previously experiencing poor service with those areas now in receipt of optimum services in terms of quality and availability is occurring; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1892/21]

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Written answers

The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract 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 over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.

Noting that the fibre roll-out is a long-term project, Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) were seen as a key early element of the NBP that could provide access to high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. As of 21 December, 241 publicly accessible 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 Kildare, Bigstone Community Hall has been connected by the retail service provider with Lullymore Heritage Park being connected shortly. The locations of Crookstown Further Education and Training and the Community Centre in Back Gate Lodge Kilkea Demesne Castledermot will be connected by the end of Q1.

Services will vary at each BCP location – some sites will have desks and other equipment which can be used for remote working while others will have outside access only. Information is on a site by site basis and can be found via the map. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/5634d-national-broadband-plan-map/

Any works that are required in the relevant buildings to cater for remote working will be carried out by the owners of the BCP with assistance, both financial and otherwise, from the Local Authority and local LEADER office.

An interdepartmental working group, chaired by the Department of Rural and Community Development is currently progressing work on hub infrastructure and development of remote working hubs. In that regard BCPs are only a subset of a much larger hub infrastructure. This Working Group will be looking towards enhancing a national hub infrastructure that provides a fair level of geographical access and a level of service that is appropriate given ongoing developments to future working arrangements.

The Department has met with Broadband Officers in local authorities in relation to premises in the BLUE area where performance issues were raised. The Department is continuing to monitor the BLUE areas and has encouraged the Broadband Officers to contact the Broadband inbox (broadband@decc.gov.ie) with specific examples of premises or known areas that have been identified where performance issues exist.

Question No. 112 answered with Question No. 109.
Question No. 113 answered with Question No. 110.
Question No. 114 answered with Question No. 109.
Question No. 115 answered with Question No. 110.
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