Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 May 2022
123. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the plans that are in place for high-speed broadband in the area of Moanamought, Callan, County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22516/22]
View answerThe 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 almost 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools. I am advised by NBI that as of 22 April 2022, over 321,000 premises have now been surveyed and over 173,000 premises are under construction or complete across 26 counties, demonstrating that the project is reaching scale. I am further advised that almost 64,000 premises are now available to order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 22 counties, with over 47,100 premises passed across 19 counties and available for immediate connection. NBI has further advised that over 10,100 premises have been connected, as of 22 April, and that this is increasing on a daily basis. To date, the level of connections is in line with projections and some areas are exceeding expectations.
Some 12,000 premises in County Kilkenny have been surveyed, with over 6,000 premises under construction or complete. With regard to the area referred to in the Question, 75% of the premises within the townland of Moanamought Commons are served by commercial operators, with 25% of premises located in the Intervention Area, as shown on the NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie . The premises located within the Intervention Area are served by the Mullinahone Deployment Area and will be delivered with high-speed broadband under the NBP.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Kilkenny 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 22 April, 556 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 Kilkenny 7 BCP’s have been installed to date. The site at Tullaghought Parish Hall, which is now connected, is located approximately 15km from Moanamought. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-locations/ .
In County Kilkenny 21 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/ .
