Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 September 2021
214. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason for the delay in providing a broadband connection point under the National Broadband Plan to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46013/21]
View answerBroadband 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. My Department has now prioritised primary schools with no high speed broadband and continues to work with the Department of Education in this regard. An acceleration of this aspect of the National Broadband Plan will see some 677 primary schools connected to high speed broadband by the end of 2022, well ahead of the original target delivery timeframe of 2026. It is expected that well in excess of 200 will be installed by the end of this year.
I can confirm that Leckaun National School is a priority school as part of this initiative and will be provided with a wireless solution by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) in the next few months.
While the dates referenced by the Deputy were sourced from the NBI website, I understand that the dates relates to the wider network deployment in the area in which the school is located and does not reflect the schools acceleration programme which will see this school connected within a matter of months. My Department has asked NBI to update their website to show that individual schools are being prioritised for early connection through these wireless solutions.
