Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 March 2024
111. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a school in the Connemara Gaeltacht (details supplied) will be placed on the spring roll-out worklist for fibre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10131/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:
• all Irish households and businesses, including schools, will be covered by a gigabit network no later than 2028
• all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, and
• digital connectivity will be delivered to all strategic connection points by 2023.
These targets will be achieved through commercial operators investing in their networks, complemented by the State’s National Broadband Plan intervention. When taken together, all premises in the State will have access to high-speed broadband in every part of the country no matter how remote.
The school referred to in this question is in the BLUE area. The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services. The 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 the Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard. There may be a choice of operators offering this service in any given area. Further information in this regard is available at www.comreg.ie/compare/#/services.
From the records made available to the Department, the school in question should already be capable of receiving speeds of up to 100Mbps through commercial means.
