Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 May 2021
11. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the funding allocations and plans that are in place to advance the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan to island communities specifically; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23482/21]
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 includes over 2,200 premises on offshore islands. The NBP contract provides that the maximum cost to the State of delivering the NBP network over the 25 year period of the contract is €2.7bn and this subsidy includes the cost of bringing fibre connectivity to our offshore islands.
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 29 April, 11 BCP sites on islands 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 publicly accessible sites and by the Department of Education for schools. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.
My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high speed broadband as part of the BCP initiative, including the islands within the Intervention Area, for connection over the term of the NBP. In this regard, an acceleration of this aspect of the National Broadband Plan was announced in December which 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/.
The following table sets out the public BCP sites that have been installed, connected or are in planning on the islands.
|
PUBLIC SITE NAME |
EIRCODE |
ISLAND |
LA |
Installed |
Connected |
|
Bere Island Heritage Centre |
P75W660 |
Bere |
Cork |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Coláiste Phobal Cléire |
P81P627 |
Cape Clear |
Cork |
Yes |
In planning |
|
Sherkin Island Community Hall |
P81AE02 |
Sherkin |
Cork |
Yes |
In planning |
|
Tory CO-OP |
F92FD66 |
Tory |
Donegal |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Meáin CTR |
H91XK40 |
Inis Meáin |
Galway |
In planning |
In planning |
|
Comhar na Noileán |
H91D27X |
Inis Oirr |
Galway |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Inishbofin Community Centre |
H91TC6C |
Inishbofin |
Galway |
In planning |
In planning |
|
Kilronan Library |
H91WN93 |
Inishmore |
Galway |
In planning |
In planning |
|
Halla Pobal Thír an Fhia |
H91CT9F |
Lettermore |
Galway |
In planning |
In planning |
|
Tír an Fhia |
H91YE86 |
Lettermore |
Galway |
In planning |
In planning |
|
Lettermullen Community Centre |
H91CH7X |
Lettermullen |
Galway |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cable Station - Valentia |
V23H685 |
Valentia |
Kerry |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Chapeltown Community Centre |
V23H240 |
Valentia |
Kerry |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Clare Island Community Centre |
F28KP99 |
Clare Island |
Mayo |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Inisturk Community Centre |
H91N990 |
Inisturk |
Mayo |
In planning |
In planning |
The following table sets out the School BCP sites that have been installed, connected or are in planning on the islands.
|
School NAME |
EIRCODE |
ISLAND |
LA |
Installed |
Connected |
|
MHICHIL NAOFA |
P75AK22 |
Bere Island |
Cork |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
S N CLEIRE |
P81FY05 |
Cape Clear |
Cork |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
SN ARAINN MHOR I |
F92Y978 |
Arranmore |
Donegal |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
Arranmore NS |
F92AE75 |
Arranmore |
Donegal |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
SCOIL NAOMH CHOLMCILLE |
F92XV52 |
Tory Island |
Donegal |
Yes |
In Planning |
|
S N INIS MEADHOIN |
H91P892 |
Inis Meáin |
Galway |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
S N CAOMHAIN |
H91C967 |
Inis Oirr |
Galway |
Yes |
In Planning |
|
INISHBOFIN N S |
H91KV48 |
Inishbofin |
Galway |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
S N RONAIN |
H91ED89 |
Inishmore |
Galway |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
S N EOIN POL II |
H91W727 |
Inishmore |
Galway |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
S N BHRIDE |
H91F3C5 |
Lettermore |
Galway |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
SCOIL RONAIN |
H91E8Y0 |
Lettermore |
Galway |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
S N Leitir Meallain |
H91RX45 |
Lettermullen |
Galway |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
S N DAR EARCA |
V23R928 |
Valentia |
Kerry |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
DOOKINELLA N.S. |
F28RF79 |
Achill |
Mayo |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
VALLEY N S |
F28HY27 |
Achill |
Mayo |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
S N DUMHACH |
F28AK54 |
Achill |
Mayo |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
SN NAOMH SEOSAMH |
F28K500 |
Achill |
Mayo |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
ACHILL SOUND CONVENT NS |
F28ER26 |
Achill Sound |
Mayo |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
S N NAOMH PADRAIG SAILE |
F28Y229 |
Achill Sound |
Mayo |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
ST PATRICKS NS |
F28F516 |
Clare Island |
Mayo |
In Planning |
In Planning |
|
ST COLUMBAS N.S. |
H91YNP3 |
Inishturk |
Mayo |
In Planning |
In Planning |
