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National Broadband Plan

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 July 2021

Tuesday, 13 July 2021

Questions (208)

Thomas Gould

Question:

208. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan. [37767/21]

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Written answers

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 covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools. Despite the unprecedented challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, National Broadband Ireland has made steady progress on delivery of the new high speed fibre broadband network under the National Broadband Plan. I am advised by National Broadband Ireland that as of 8 July over 233,000 premises have been surveyed across all counties. This survey work has enabled detailed designs to be developed for each deployment area. The detailed designs are then used to initiate the ‘make ready’ project with Open eir, where Open eir ensures any poles and ducts being reused are fit for purpose and the make ready of other required infrastructure. This step also informs decisions on equipment ordering. Survey data is also needed to initiate pre-works which pave the way for the deploying of fibre. Pre-works involve construction of new duct routes, erection of poles, building chambers and tree trimming. On completion of these pre-works, the main construction works can commence.

Main Fibre Build works are underway in 12 Counties covering a total of 43,000 premises and “Make Ready” Works which involves works by openeir to prepare their existing poles and ducts for re-use by NBI and also tree-trimming of the route for new poles and overhead cabling are underway in a further 6 Counties, covering an additional 52,000 premises.

The first fibre to the home connections are successfully connected in Carrigaline, Co Cork and Cavan. I am advised by NBI that, as of 8 July over 6,600 premises are passed in Counties Cork, Cavan and Galway and available for order and pre-order. As the programme continues to build momentum this figure is expected to grow month on month. In total over 19,000 premises can pre-order via retail service providers (RSPs) in Counties Cork, Cavan, Galway and Limerick.

Further details are available on specific areas 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. NBI also has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.

While substantial progress has been made to date, the Covid 19 pandemic has had an impact on the delivery of the fibre network resulting in delays to aspects of the programme. Impacts include challenges with mobilisation of key contractors, restrictions on operations, supply chain and logistic delays (both nationally and internationally).  Covid 19 has affected 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 staffs 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. My Department has worked closely with NBI to put in place a remedial plan under the Contract to address the impacts of the Covid 19 pandemic on the project.

The Programme for Government commits to seek to accelerate the roll out of the National Broadband Plan. The Department is currently engaging with NBI to explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of the NBP rollout to establish the possibility of bringing forward premises which are currently scheduled in years 6 and 7 of the current plan to an earlier date. Exploring the potential to accelerate the network rollout is being undertaken in parallel with the measures required to mitigate delays arising as a result of Covid-19. As part of that work NBI is engaging with all current build partners (eir and enet) to bring forward build activities and is also actively reviewing other possible build partners where such options could also speed up the build process. I am advised that these discussions are progressing well.

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 8 July, 335 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 school BCPs.  Of the 335 sites, some 116 schools have been installed with high speed broadband by NBI as part of this initiative, for educational access only.

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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