Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 March 2023
118. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date in the roll-out of the national broadband programme in counties Cavan and Monaghan; if he will outline the further progress that will be made throughout 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15976/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by NBI that, as of 17 March 2023, over 138,000 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection and over 126,800 premises passed are available for immediate connection across 26 counties.
NBI advised on 28 February that over 3,613 premises in County Cavan, and 5,674 premises in County Monaghan are passed by NBI’s fibre broadband network and are available for immediate connection. As of 28 February, NBI advise that 1,337 premises in Co Cavan and 1,558 premises in Co Monaghan are connected.
NBI have advised that over 4,000 premises in County Cavan, and 6,780 premises in County Monaghan are expected to be passed by NBI’s fibre broadband network and available for connection by the end of July 2023. Further progress in Counties Monaghan and Cavan can be monitored via nbi.ie/reps. A county update can be selected to provide the overall number of premises in the Intervention Area, the overall NBP investment in the county, the number of premises passed and connected to date and the status of each of the Deployment Areas with the anticipated date for connection over the lifetime of the project.
Strategic Connection Points (SCPs) 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 17 March 2023, 885 SCP sites (282 Broadband Connection Points, which are publicly accessible sites, and 603 schools) have been installed 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 BCPs and the Department of Education for school SCP’s. In County Cavan all 12 BCPs have been installed with all 16 BCPs installed in County Monaghan. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-map/
In County Cavan all 19 schools SCPs have been installed by NBI for educational access with 16 SCPs installed in Monaghan. My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high-speed broadband, within the Intervention Area. Further details are available on the NBI website at nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.
