I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 34, 36 and 39 together.
The Broadband Connection Points, or BCPs, are a collaborative initiative involving my Department, the Department of Communications, the Local Authorities, National Broadband Ireland, Vodafone Ireland and hundreds of volunteers and site owners across the State.
BCPs will make free on-site connectivity available to communities in remote rural areas that currently do not have access to reliable high-speed broadband services. They will be situated in publicly accessible buildings such as sports clubs and community centres and will be among the first premises to be connected under the National Broadband Plan.
Approximately 300 BCPs will be connected across the State, including on many of our off-shore islands. These sites have been identified by Local Authority Broadband Officers and have proceeded with the permission of the site owners and the committees and volunteers that run them.
The location of the BCPs are available on the website of National Broadband Ireland, www.nbi.ie, although it should be noted that sites can be subject to change due to circumstances such as the provision of a commercial high speed broadband connection to an area.
To date National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company contracted to deliver the National Broadband Plan, has provided initial wireless high-speed broadband connections to 130 sites.
Vodafone Ireland, which was awarded the contract to provide and manage end-user services at these sites, has commenced the installation of its equipment at BCP sites and the first cohort of sites will become fully operational in the coming weeks.
By the end of 2020, approximately 200 BCP sites will be live, with the remaining 100 sites operational in early 2021.