Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2021
88. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a community (details supplied) will receive fibre broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11794/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Question refers to 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. 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 underway.
I am advised by National Broadband Ireland that, as of 25 February 2021, over 181,000 premises across all counties have been surveyed. In Co Limerick, surveying has been completed or is underway in the areas of Killalee, Caherline, Ballynanty, Pallaskenny, Toreen, Old Kildimo, Askeaton, Adare, Croagh, Rathkeale, Kilfinny, Croom, Ballingarry, Patrickswell, Crecora, Banogue Cross, Granagh, Lees Cross and Ballykennedy. Pre-build works have started in townlands outside Limerick City including Mungret, Patrickswell, Crecora, Castleconnell and Caherconlish. Further details are available on specific areas within County Limerick 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 advised that NBI is working to provide more detail on its website, with a rolling update on network build plans. NBI also has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.
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 25 February, 275 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 accessible sites and the Department of Education for school BCPs. A BCP site is installed at Glenmore Community Centre and the site at Caherline Community Centre is installed and connected. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.
Anglesboro National School, Gerald Griffin National School, Knocknadea National School, Limerick East Educate Together National School, Dromdarrig, Mungret and Tinnatarriff National School are installed 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 some 679 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/.
With regard to the matter raised in relation to GSM coverage, providing telecommunication services is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg), as independent regulator.
