Sorca Clarke
Ceist:48. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the schedule for upgrading the public broadband in libraries per county in tabular form. [38633/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 14 July 2021
Ceisteanna (48)
Freagraí scríofa
The provision of library services is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001 and therefore the upgrading of public broadband in public libraries would fall under their remit. I understand that the public libraries strategy ‘Our Public Libraries 2022’ commits to implement a programme of ICT infrastructure upgrades and developments to underpin the development and roll-out of new and innovative services.
The 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 over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools ensuring no premises is left behind.
The NBP network will offer those premises in the Intervention Area a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. All counties will see construction commenced in the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State will have access to high speed broadband within the next four years.
The NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie shows the areas covered by the State led intervention as well as those targeted by commercial operators. The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention. BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the NBP 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.
While the vast majority of public libraries are located in cities, towns and villages and will already have access to a high speed broadband service, libraries that are located within the AMBER area will be served with high speed broadband through the NBP network. Further details are available 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. Libraries may register with this facility to receive regular updates on progress by NBI on delivering the network and specific updates related to their own premises as works commence. 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 8 July, 335 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. As part of this initiative Borris Library, Co. Carlow and Kilronan Library, Co. Galway have had high speed broadband installed by NBI. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.