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Broadband Infrastructure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 February 2022

Wednesday, 23 February 2022

Questions (70)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

70. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) in relation to the provision of broadband will be reviewed; the status of the provision of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10311/22]

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Written answers

The Question refers to a premises located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website 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 close to a fibre network, owned by a commercial operator, but cannot get a connection to that network. 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 11 February, over 301,000 premises have been surveyed or have survey underway, with over 157,000 premises constructed or under construction across all counties. NBI has also advised that premises are connected in 16 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Laois, Limerick, Louth, Monaghan, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Wexford and Wicklow and over 54,500 premises are available to order and pre-order across 22 counties.  In County Cavan surveying is complete in the Deployment Areas of Kilnaleck (which includes the premises referred to) and Cootehill and network build is complete in the Deployment Area of Cavan, with over 10,400 premises surveyed to date and over 3,700 premises now available to order. 

Further details are available on specific areas within County Cavan 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.

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 11 February 2022, 486 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. In County Cavan 12 BCP’s have been installed to date, including Castlerahan Community Centre which is approximately 3km from the premises referred to. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.

In County Cavan 10 schools have been installed by NBI to date 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. Further details of schools in scope are available on the NBI website at nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.

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