Kathleen Funchion
Ceist:147. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the status of correspondence from this Deputy to him (details supplied). [24746/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 22 September 2020
Ceisteanna (147)
Freagraí scríofa
The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed on last November 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 nearly 540,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.
The NBP network will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. This represents an increase from the 150Mbps committed to under the Contract. The deployment plan forecasts premises passed in all counties within the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State having access to high speed broadband within the next four years. Design work is complete or ongoing in target townlands across 21 counties, including Co Carlow, and steady progress is being made with over 91,000 premises surveyed as at 15 September. This survey work is feeding into detailed designs for each deployment area and laying fibre should commence shortly with the first fibre to the home connections expected in Cork around December this year. The first areas of Carlow have been surveyed and include the townlands of Oldleighlin, Clogrenan, Kellistown, Ballinacarrig, Killerrig, Johnstown, Fennagh, Nurney, Agha, Carlow Rural, Rathornan, Rathrush, Templepeter, Grangeford, Ridge, Muinebeag Urban, Burton Hall, Muinbeag Rural, Kineagh, Tullowbeg, Leighlinbridge, and Shangarry. This work involves physically walking the routes and documenting images, notes and measurements of the poles, cables and underground ducts in each area. This is informing design solutions for provision of the fibre network. NBI provides a facility for any premises within the Intervention Area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website (https://nbi.ie/map/). 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. Some 144 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 available sites and by the Department of Education and Skills for schools. There are a number of BCPs located across County Carlow. The planned BCP locations, including schools, library hubs, local sports facilities, and other public places are available to view on the High-Speed Broadband Map on the Department’s website www.broadband.gov.ie. One BCP site, which is located at Newtown Community Centre, is located within 4 kilometres of the location referred to in Question, is targetted for installation by NBI in October. Another, at Borris Library, 8 kilometres away, has been installed by NBI and the high speed broadband service is scheduled to be switched on shortly through service provider contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development. This may assist residents in Tinahinch to access high speed broadband pending roll out of fibre in their area.