Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 January 2021
11. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a house (details supplied) will be connected to fibre broadband given the infrastructure is there and that it is the only house not connected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1967/21]
View answerThe Question refer to a premises located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website 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 2019 with National Broadband Ireland (NBI). I appreciate people's frustration when they are living so close to a fibre network but cannot get a connection to that network, particularly given the heightened importance of connectivity during the Covid-19 pandemic. The NBP will ensure that in all such cases a future proofed high speed broadband network will be built to serve these premises and work to deliver on this is underway.
I am advised by NBI that, as of 8 January 2021, over 158,000 premises across all counties have been surveyed which is ahead of schedule. In Cork, surveys have been completed in Midleton, Cullen, Templebreedy, Carrigaline, Ballyfoyle, Douglas, Ballyphehane, Glasheen, Mahon, Kilpatrick. Surveys have started in Ballydesmond, Kiskeam, Umeraboy, Knocknagree, Rineen, Cullen, Coolinarna, Millstreet, Hollymount and Caherbarnagh. I am advised that build works are underway in Carrigaline, Fountainstown, Ballinhassig, Monkstown and Upper Rochestown.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Cork 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 as works commence. I am aware that concerns have been raised regarding the level of information available on the deployment of the NBI network and I am advised that NBI is working to provide more detail on its website, with a rolling update on network build plans.
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. 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. Bere Island Heritage Centre, Laharn Heritage Centre and Ballydaly Community Hall are BCPs which are now installed by NBI. Ballindangan Community Centre, Aghabullogue Community Centre, Castletownkenneigh Community Centre, Lissavard Community Centre, Whitechurch Community Centre and T.O. Park Labbamollaga are now installed and connected. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.
School BCPs will be provided with high speed broadband for educational use and more than 70 schools will have been connected by the end of January through ‘service provider' contracts managed by the Department of Education. Clogagh and Ballycroneen National School are planned by NBI for educational access as part of this initiative. My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high speed broadband, within the intervention area for connection over the term of the NBP. In this regard, an acceleration of the schools aspect of the project was announced late last year and will see some 679 primary schools connected to high speed broadband by 2022, well ahead of the original target delivery timeframe of 2026. Further details are available on the NBI website at https://nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.
