Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 January 2021
20. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a direct contact will be provided for Members of Dáil Éireann to access information regarding the provision of broadband (details supplied). [3246/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraNBI has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.
The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie, shows the areas which will be included in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led intervention as well as areas targeted by commercial operators. The map is colour coded and searchable by address and Eircode.
· Premises in the AMBER area will be provided with high speed broadband through the State led Intervention, the contract for which was signed in November last with National Broadband Ireland (NBI).
· The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
It would appear from the information provided in the Question that the premises referred to are located in the Amber area with one premises in the Blue area. BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan as commercial operators are already providing high speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. My Department defines high speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload. The activities of commercial operators delivering high speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and my Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard. Notwithstanding this, our investigations show that the premises referred in the BLUE area is being served by a commercial operator (SIRO) delivering fibre to the home services.
I appreciate people's frustration when they are living so close to a fibre network but cannot get a connection to that network, particularly given the heightened importance of connectivity during the Covid-19 pandemic. The NBP will ensure that in all such cases a future proofed high speed broadband network will be built to serve these premises and work to deliver on this is under way.
I am advised by NBI that, as of 15 January 2021, over 161,000 premises across all counties have been surveyed. Surveys in County Cork have been completed in Midelton, Cullen, Templebreedy, Carrigaline, Ballyfoyle, Douglas, Ballyphehane, Glasheen, Mahon, Kilpatrick. I am further advised that build works for the NBI network are underway in Carrigaline, Fountainstown, Ballinhassig, Monkstown, and Upper Rochestown. Further details are available on specific areas within County Cork 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. I am aware that concerns have been raised regarding the level of information available on the deployment of the NBI network and I am advised that NBI is working to provide more detail on its website, with a rolling update on network build plans.
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 10 January, 243 publicly accessible 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. BCP’s are installed and connected at Ballindangan Community Centre, Aghabullogue Community Centre, Castletownkenneigh Community Centre, Lissavard Community Centre, Whitechurch Community Centre and T.O. Park Labbamollaga. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.
Clogagh and Ballycroneen National Schools are planned to be connected by NBI for educational access as part of this initiative. My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high speed broadband, within the intervention area for connection over the term of the NBP. In this regard, an acceleration of this aspect of the National Broadband Plan was announced in December which will see almost 700 primary schools connected to high speed broadband by 2022, well ahead of the original target delivery timeframe of 2026. Further details are available on the NBI website at https://nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.
