Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
115. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he finds it satisfactory that the NBI is unable to give an indictive timeframe for when works will be completed to allow properties to avail of e-fibre broadband (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.- [38210/23]
View answerThe 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.
While NBI do publish indicative connection timelines for the large majority of premises within the Intervention Area, it does take some time for new builds, such as the premises the Question refers to, to appear on NBI’s map as all new eircodes must go through a quarterly update from the national Geodirectory and an assessment of new eircodes is required to determine whether they will be connected commercially or whether it is necessary for NBI to provide a connection. Where NBI are required to connect new premises they must carry out survey and design work and sometime additional build. Once NBI have ascertained this information then they can then schedule the necessary works to provide connectivity to any new premises in the area.
Officials in my Department have contacted NBI to enquire if there is any further information available as to when the premises in question can expect to be enabled for fibre. NBI have advised that they expect to carry out the required works at some point between October and November of this year, 2023. Once these works are completed, your constituent should then be in a position to place an order for high speed broadband from any retail service provider operating in that area.
In December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:
• all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028;
• all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, and
• digital connectivity will be delivered to all schools and broadband connection points by 2023.
The National Broadband Plan intervention contract provides for the roll out of a high speed and future-proofed broadband network to primarily rural areas. The intervention area covers over 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.
These targets will be achieved through commercial operators investing in their networks, complemented by the State’s National Broadband Plan intervention. When taken together, all premises in the State will have access to high-speed broadband in every part of the country no matter how remote.
