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National Broadband Plan

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Questions (165, 166)

Ruairí Ó Murchú

Question:

165. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a location (details supplied) will be connected by National Broadband Ireland; the changes to the anticipated connection date for the premises due to the acceleration of the National Broadband Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53331/21]

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Ruairí Ó Murchú

Question:

166. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a location (details supplied) will be connected by National Broadband Ireland; the changes to the anticipated connection date for the premises due to the acceleration of the National Broadband Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53332/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 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 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 get a connection to that network, particularly given the heightened importance of connectivity as a result of 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 on this is underway.

I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, as of 27 October, almost 273,000 premises across all counties have been surveyed or have surveys underway and over 115,000 premises have build currently underway. The first premises are connected in Cavan, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Monaghan. Surveys are complete or underway in County Louth in the areas around Dundalk and Ballyoran, Ballinclare, Kilcurly, Gibstown, Killincoole, Donaghmore, Channonrock, Ballykelly, Stonetown, Ednaquinn and Lannat Cross, Allardstown, Ballinfuil, Carnroe, Carrickedmond, Drumcamill, Hoarstone, Kane, Philipstown, Stephenstown, Treagh, and Whitemill. Main works have commenced in the areas around Dundalk including Ballyoran, Ballinclare, Kilcurly, Gibstown, Killincoole and Donaghmore.

Further details are available on specific areas within County Louth 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 has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries. Given the scale and complexity of delivery of the new high speed broadband network under the NBP, I am advised that any dates provided by NBI on its website are based on the best available information at the time and may be subject to change. NBI has recently published details of its full deployment schedule on its website, www.nbi.ie, which enables all premises within the intervention area to have an anticipated service activation date range.

In addition to the challenges to the delivery of the NBP due to the Covid-19 pandemic, NBI has faced a range of other challenges due to the sheer scale and complexity of rolling out fibre to the home in a rural environment. These include significant tree trimming to ensure cable can be placed on overhead poles, remediation of ducting that has been in place for many decades, the co-ordination of hundreds of contracting crews and addressing the many issues arising week on week which could not have been foreseen until the build crews commenced work on the ground. My Department has worked closely with NBI to put in place a remedial plan under the Contract. This plan addresses delays experienced by NBI, primarily arising as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and re-baselines milestones for 2021. Work is underway to re-baseline milestones for 2022 and beyond. This has resulted in some changes to timeframes for connection for end users.

In line with the Programme for Government, NBI and my Department are also engaged in a review of potential measures that can be taken to accelerate the network rollout in parallel with the measures required to mitigate delays arising as a result of Covid-19. My Department continues to engage 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. However, the primary focus must be on addressing the delays which have arisen and ensuring that the National Broadband Ireland build programme gets back on track and is building momentum month on month.

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 27 October, 386 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. BCP’s are connected at Templetown Beach, Clogherhead, Annaghminnan Rovers GAA Club, Killanny GAA Club, Mattock Rangers GAA Club, Stephenstown Pond & Nature Park (located 6.3km from the premises at Braganstown) and Port Beach/Knockbawn (located 6.3km from the premises at Salterstown). Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.  

Walshestown National School and Saint Enda's National School have been installed by NBI for educational access. 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 nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.

Question No. 166 answered with Question No. 165.
Question No. 167 answered with Question No. 138.
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