Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 February 2021
14. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of premises passed by National Broadband Ireland to date as part of the State-funded roll-out of high speed broadband; the number surveyed to date; the number of premises contracted to be passed in 2021 as part of this roll-out of broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10829/21]
View answerThe 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.
The contract links the payment of subsidy to premises having been passed by the new fibre network and envisaged at the time of contract signing in November 2019 that 20% of premises could be passed by the end of the second contract year (which is the end of January 2022).
Despite the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic throughout 2020 and which are continuing into this year, NBI has made steady progress on delivery of the new high speed fibre broadband network under the National Broadband Plan. I am advised by NBI that, as of 15 February 2021, over 178,000 premises across 26 counties have been surveyed which is ahead of the target forecast by NBI. The first fibre to the home connections are successfully connected and in a test and trial phase in Carrigaline, Co Cork and Cavan. Technical testing and validation will be undertaken prior to a wider release of the areas.Build works are continuing across the country in 9 Deployment Areas, including a total of 34,405 premises, and "make ready" work is underway in a further 18 Deployment Areas that include a further 64,688 premises.
The Covid 19 pandemic has had an impact on the delivery of the fibre network resulting in delays on delivery of aspects of the programme. Impacts include challenges with mobilisation of key contractors with restrictions on operations, supply chain and logistic delays (both nationally and internationally), as well as the recruitment of key personnel as NBI and its contractors scale up, including challenges associated with on-boarding and training people. Inevitably, like many other organisations, NBI and contractor staff are at risk of contracting Covid 19 or may have to restrict their movements as a result of being a close contact posing further challenges. 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.
