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 includes the islands and 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 deployment plan forecasts construction commenced in all counties within the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State having access to high speed broadband within the next four years. Over 2,200 premises on offshore islands are included and will be provided with access to high speed broadband as part of the State led intervention, ensuring that no premises are left behind regardless of how remote their location. 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.
Further details are available on specific areas across the country, including the islands, 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 advised that NBI is working to provide more detail on its website, with a rolling update on network build plans. NBI also has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.
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
|