Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 March 2024
159. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which the provision of broadband throughout the country can attain the speed necessary to meet the added requirements of the country’s population, with particular reference to changes to working habits post-Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11500/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra160. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which the provision of broadband is progressing, and in such a way as to enhance the competitiveness of the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11501/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra163. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of broadband connection points installed in County Kildare to date in 2024; the number of points expected to be installed over the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11504/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 159, 160 and 163 together.
In 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 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 schools and broadband 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 Digital Connectivity Strategy will lead to more balanced regional development, supporting the green transition, facilitating greater access to regional talent and skills and will assist with the implementation of the Government’s Remote Working Strategy, Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, and Project Ireland 2040.
Commercial operators’ fibre rollouts are progressing at pace. Open eir have already passed over 59,200 homes and businesses in Kildare with gigabit services, with plans to pass a further c.31,800 homes and businesses over the next 2 – 3 years, bringing their total fibre-based investment in the county to over €35m. Other commercial operators are also continuing to increase their network footprint right across Kildare, with SIRO recently passing over 40,100 premises for full fibre, and Virgin Media passing over 52,900 premises.
Along with the progress made by commercial operators’ in expanding their next generation networks throughout the State, the National Broadband Plan intervention contract provides for the roll out of a high speed and future-proofed broadband network to primarily rural areas. The intervention area covers over 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 672 schools.
NBI reports that all 955 Strategic Connection Points (SCP) sites have been installed, of which 283 are publicly accessible Broadband Connection Point sites now connected with high-speed broadband service through a service provider contract with Vodafone. The remaining 672 SCPs are part of the SCP Schools Programme. There are 3 publicly accessible BCP’s and 10 SCP’s (schools) in County Kildare.
I am advised by NBI that, over 218,200 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. Over 71,400 premises are already connected to the NBP high-speed broadband network. In County Kildare, over 4,100 premises are passed with a high-speed fibre broadband network and available for immediate connection with 1,642 premises now connected. NBI further advise that over 8,800 additional premises are expected to be passed by Q3 2024.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Kildare 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. NBI has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.
NBI are required to provide a minimum service of 500Mbps to all end users under the Contract with the Minister. The network NBI have deployed is capable of delivering speeds far in excess of this minimum speed. NBI monitor the performance of their network on a 24/7/365 day of the year basis. Should speeds fall below the minimum required then NBI is required to notify the Department and provide a plan to remediate any issues arising that may have caused the breach, however no such breach has occurred to date.
Recent ComReg data shows that Quarter 3 of 2023, saw a 7.62% increase in fibre broadband subscriptions compared to Qtr 2, 2023, and a 33.83% increase when compared to Quarter 3 of 2022. This demonstrates that the take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing greatly as the services are deployed to areas where they had previously been unavailable. This demonstrates that take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing substantially as it is deployed to areas where it had previously been unavailable.
The same ComReg data also indicates that c. 40% of homes and business throughout the State now have access to gigabit services through either fibre (619,968) or cable (354,074) infrastructure.
