Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 February 2025
80. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the actions he will take, along with National Broadband Ireland, to ensure that businesses and residents are not left without internet services for an extended period of time, as has happened after Storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6407/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s Future published in January 2025 sets a number of targets which include the completion of the installation of high-speed fibre broadband to 1.1 million people, including homes, farms, and businesses nationwide, by 2026.
The majority of digital connectivity across the State will be delivered through commercial investment by the telecommunications industry, complemented by the roll-out of fibre, across mainly rural areas, under the National Broadband Plan (NBP).
The NBP contract provides for a future proofed high-speed broadband network to be deployed by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to people living and working in the Intervention Area. It is expected that some 600,000 premises will be passed including new builds.
National Broadband Ireland (NBI) remain confident that they can complete the network build within the contracted period and on or below budget.
I am advised by NBI that, over 351,300 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. Over 115,400 premises are already connected to the high-speed broadband network.
In The Deputy’s own county of Louth over 5,200 premises are available to order/pre-order, with 2,400 premises now connected. A further 3,786 premises in Louth will be passed by NBI’s high speed fibre broadband by the end of the contract.
As part of the national response to Storm Éowyn a Cross-Departmental Recovery Group was established. The Group, chaired by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, is coordinating actions to restore telecommunications and broadband to those experiencing outages.
My colleague, the Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, met with industry representatives (including NBI ) on 14 February 2025, to discuss the storm impact on telecommunications infrastructure, the industry’s response, restoration works and their plans to improve the networks resilience to emergency weather events.
The Department will incorporate learnings into plans for weather emergency preparedness and continue to engage with Comreg and operators to formalise storm response processes and the roles all organisations will play in improving resilience, restoring connectivity and interacting with the national emergency response structures.
To accelerate restoration efforts, NBI have implemented several measures and been fully mobilised since January 24th. Crews are currently working across all counties to restore services as quickly as possible.
Key actions taken include:
• NBI mobilised four additional subcontractors, whose efforts in supporting repair and assurance works have been crucial to reconnecting end users as swiftly as possible.
• NBI liaised with existing subcontractors to ensure that all allocated resources across the National Broadband Plan (NBP) are prioritising storm recovery.
• NBI coordinated the supply of additional materials and equipment to support field teams.
• NBI have engaged five fibre-splicing crews from the UK, to assist with repairs.
• NBI continue to prioritise restoration based on customer impact, and although the volume of fibre breaks is unprecedented, significant progress has been made to date.
• NBI maintain open communication channels with Retail Service Providers, providing real-time updates regarding completed or scheduled repair works, including notifying when service is restored to end users.
