Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
97. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of homes that have been connected in County Kerry to date under the national broadband plan; the percentage of the overall number of homes in the county that have been connected to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40677/21]
View answer99. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of premises in County Kerry that will be connected to high-speed broadband under the national broadband plan; the number and percentage of these that have been surveyed for connection to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40693/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 99 together.
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 the over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.
There are 90,408 premises in County Kerry of which 63,413 are in the commercial area and 26,995 premises are within the NBP Intervention Area and will be connected to high speed broadband under the NBP. I am advised by National Broadband Ireland that, as of 21 July 2021, over 236,000 premises across all counties have been surveyed. In County Kerry, 16,382 (c. 61% of Kerry premises in the Intervention Area) premises have been surveyed. Surveys are complete or ongoing in the townlands around Killarney including Muckross, Fossa, Kilcummin, Lissivigeen, Ballycasheen, Faha, Firies and Ballyhar, in townlands around Tralee including Curraheen, Abbeydorney, Kilflynn, Firies, Castlemaine, and Ardfert, and in Rathmore, Knocknacopple, Mounthorgan, Kilquane Upper, Barraduff, Cloonteens, Gneevgullia, Tureenamult, Renasup, Castlegregory, Aughacasla, Camp, Knockbrack, Maum, Lougher, Inch, Annascaul, Derrygorman, Ballyglasheen, Brackluin, Ballintarmon, Drom, An Clochan, Kilshannig, Fahamore, Candeehy, Breanainn, Ballyheigue, Glenderry, Ladywell, Banna, Lerrig, Ballymacandrew, Causeway, Foxfort, Ballymacaquinn, Ballincloher, Dromartin and Beenconeen.
Build works have commenced in the areas around Tralee in Curraheen, Abbeydorney, Kilflynn, Firies, Castlemaine and Ardfert. Pre-build works have commenced in the Killarney area. I am advised by NBI that it expects premises in these areas to be passed and available for connection towards the end of 2021 and in early 2022..
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 on delivery of aspects of the programme. Impacts include challenges with mobilisation of key contractors with restrictions on operations, supply chain and logistic delays (both nationally and internationally), as well as 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 staff 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.
Further details are available on specific areas within Kerry 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 when works are due to commence. I am advised that NBI plan to update their website with further details on the NBP rollout plan for all counties including Kerry at the end of August.
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 21 July, 336 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and the high speed broadband service will be switched on through service provider contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development for publicly accessible locations and the Department of Education for schools. BCPs installed with high speed publicly accessible broadband include Gneeveguilla (Tureencahill), Chapeltown, Railway Station Heritage Centre And Community Space, Inch Community Centre, Cillín Liath, Saint Fiachna's Church, Kielduff Community Centre and Cable Station.
Dunloe Upper, Boheeshil National School and Coars National School are installed 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 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/.
