Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 October 2021
136. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which projects that fall within the aegis of his Department and are within the revised National Development Plan are at an advanced stage at present or are in course thereof; the extent to which preliminary work has taken place or on-site works are in hand or proposed; the expected delivery date of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49259/21]
View answerDue to the nature of its role, my Department has no NDP construction projects funded through its own Votes (Vote 11, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; Vote 39, Office of Government Procurement; and Vote 43, Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO)). The main purpose of capital projects and associated investment undertaken by my Department is to support greater effectiveness and efficiency across the Civil and Public Service through investing in ICT.
In that regard, the Deputy may be interested to note that one telecommunications NDP project fully funded by the European Union will be delivered by the OGCIO within this Department. It is building a national low latency network to ensure that the Public Service maximises the benefits and outcomes from 5G. The network will develop the capacity for public service innovation through increased connectivity and the use of new technologies. It will achieve this through the integration of Stand Alone 5G and other low latency technologies into a High Speed Low Latency National Platform. Once in place it will connect to Low Latency Front Haul peering from commercial carriers in Ireland, and a direct connection to the European mainland. It will allow for Research Agencies to do “R&D&I” in Agriculture and other areas including policing starting with Public Protection and Disaster Response.
