I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 27 together.
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 31 March, some 293 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and will be connected with high speed publicly accessible broadband through a service provider contract managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development. School BCPs will be provided with high speed broadband for educational use as part of this initiative through ‘service provider' contracts managed by the Department of Education. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.
As of 31 March, 112 Schools have been installed by NBI with high speed broadband of which 35 schools have been connected through the Department of Education contracts with the remaining 35 schools in the process of being connected.
An acceleration of the schools aspect of the BCP programme was announced last December. This will see some 679 primary schools connected to high speed broadband by end 2022, well ahead of the original target delivery timeframe of 2026. The individual school referred to by the Deputy is one of these 679 schools that are now to be connected ahead of the original schedule and I understand from National Broadband Ireland that the anticipated date for installation is in Q4 of this year.
