Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 July 2021
218. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will give consideration to satellite broadband grants for those at the later stages of the National Broadband Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38029/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract 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 over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools ensuring no premises is left behind. The NBP contract was awarded following a detailed and comprehensive procurement process. In line with State Aid Guidelines, the procurement process was technology neutral meaning that the process did not specify a preferred technology. However, all bidders in the process proposed fibre as the best solution. National and international expertise points to a fibre based solution as being the most economical way to address all premises with a future proofed solution over the 25 year term of the NBP Contract.
In terms of whether the low earth orbit satellite technology could be used in the latterly scheduled regions of the National Broadband Plan intervention area, the NBP Contract allows NBI to explore alternative technologies, including satellite technology, if they are deemed necessary to assist delivery of the contract requirements. However, in doing so NBI must ensure that any alternative technologies utilised do not negatively impact on having a reliable and robust network available for all premises within the Intervention Area and that minimum contracted speeds are achieved. These considerations are a matter for NBI in the first instance.
It should be noted that under State Aid rules that subsidy cannot be awarded separately to an individual service provider, such as a satellite company, without a procurement process.
Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP and will provide high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network and people in the later stages of the roll-out can avail of high speed broadband at a number of BCPs around the country. 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 publically available sites and by the Department of Education for schools. As of 8 July 335 BCPs have been installed by NBI including 116 primary schools. Further information is available in this regard at https://nbi.ie/broadband-connection-points/.
