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National Broadband Plan

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 May 2021

Tuesday, 18 May 2021

Questions (218, 227)

Holly Cairns

Question:

218. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of a broadband connection at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26393/21]

View answer

Holly Cairns

Question:

227. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of a broadband connection for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26542/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 227 together.

The Questions refer to 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.

I appreciate people's frustration when they are living so close to a fibre network but cannot obtain 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 this is underway.

I am advised by National Broadband Ireland that, as of 13 May 2021, over 215,000 premises across all counties have been surveyed. In County Cork, premises have been surveyed or surveys are ongoing in the areas of Midelton, Cullen, Templebreedy, Carrigaline, Ballyfoyle, Douglas, Ballyphehane, Glasheen, Mahon, Kilpatrick, Ballydesmond, Kiskeam, Umeraboy, Knocknagree, Rineen, Cullen, Coolinarna, Millstreet, Hollymount and Caherbarnagh. Main works are ongoing in Carrigaline, Fountainstown, Ballinhassig, Monkstown and Upper Rochestown. Pre-build works are ongoing in Midleton. NBI has advised that the premises referred to, located in the  Minane Bridge area, is available for pre-order and NBI anticipate that high speed broadband  should be available in the area in the coming months. The premises referred to in the Bandon area will also be served by the NBP State led intervention but it is not possible to provide a definitive timeframe for availability as yet.

Further details are available on specific areas within County Cork through the NBI website, www.nbi.ie, which provides a facility for any premises within the intervention area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates. 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 13 May, 315 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 for publicly accessible sites and the Department of Education for schools. BCP sites connected in Cork include Ballydaly Community Hall, Aubane Community Centre, Castletownkenneigh Community Centre, Mealagh Valley Community Centre, Laharn Heritage Centre, Clogagh Community Hall (located 12.36 Kilometres from the premises located in the Bandon area), Ballindangan Community Centre, T.O. Park Labbamollaga, Glash Community Centre, Bere Island Heritage Centre, Aghabullogue Community Centre, Lissavard Community Centre and Whitechurch Community Centre. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.

Clogagh National  School and Ballycroneen National School are planned  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 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/.

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