Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach and the committee for this opportunity to present details of this Supplementary Estimate for my Department.

The Supplementary Estimate is required to provide the necessary funding of €926.606 million for the electricity costs emergency benefit scheme and €12 million for the business solar scheme, both in the energy transformation programme area.

The Supplementary Estimate will also reallocate €67.4 million in savings identified across the Department’s four programme areas to provide additional capital funding for the national broadband plan, NBP. This funding is required as the programme will exceed its planned delivery for the year. The additional activity is allowing the programme to continue to claw back in 2023 delays in roll-out in previous years. The reallocation for the NBP is possible due to savings identified under the following subheads: under programme A, climate action and environmental leadership, there was €600,000 in A4, environmental and climate research; and €3.1 million in A8, just transition. In programme B, energy transformation, there was €27.7 million in B4, residential-community retrofit programme; €700,000 in B6, other energy programmes; €10.6 million in B7, energy research programmes; and €2.3 million in B15, residential retrofit loan guarantee scheme. In programme C, circular economy development, there was €2.5 million in C4, GSI services; and €10.8 million in C6, waste management programme. Finally, in programme D, connectivity and communications delivery, there was €2.7 million in D4, other communications infrastructure; €3.5 million in D6, National Cyber Security Centre; and €2.9 million under D7, emergency alert system. The Select Committee on Environment and Climate Action will consider the reallocation of funding from programmes A, B and C, along with the additional funding for the electricity credit scheme and the business solar scheme, tomorrow.

The Covid-19 pandemic level 5 restrictions resulted in significant delays for National Broadband Ireland, NBI, in progressing the roll-out of the national broadband plan throughout the country. NBI has also faced further complexities working with existing networks, and these have also impacted progress. This includes challenges arising in rolling out fibre broadband in a rural environment, such as significant tree trimming to ensure cables can be placed on overhead poles and the remediation of ducting. To address this situation, a remedial plan was adopted in December 2022. Under this plan, NBI committed to delivering a cumulative target of 185,000 premises passed by the end of January 2024.

This year, NBI has endeavoured to make up some of the ground lost during the previous two years. This has resulted in the roll-out of the new high-speed fibre broadband network having been ramped up significantly, with roll-out being completed in an additional five deployment areas than originally provided for. A connection subsidy is required to fund an additional 14,000 connections, more than provided for in the original budget estimate.

At the end of October 2023, significant additional progress has been made, with NBI reporting that design is completed on more than 432,200 premises, more than 202,000 premises can now place an order or pre-order for connection through broadband service providers and in excess of 191,000 premises are passed and available for immediate connection. More than 58,300 premises have been connected, with NBI connecting approximately 3,500 homes monthly.

The Government and NBI agreed to accelerate the roll-out of high-speed broadband to some 672 schools across the State in the intervention area. This acceleration is on target to be completed by the end of 2023. This will ensure that all schools across the State will have the necessary infrastructure to carry out their critical day-to-day educational activities unimpeded by poor broadband. At the end of October 2023, the necessary infrastructure had been installed in 669 primary schools in the intervention area, with 29 installed by other operators, as agreed with the Department of Education, and the remaining instances installed by NBI. Along with the connected schools, 283 broadband connection points, BPCs, which are publicly accessible sites, have been installed, and the wireless high-speed broadband service has been switched on in these locations through service-provider contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development.

In conclusion, the delivery of high-speed broadband for the people of Ireland is necessary for the continued economic and social development of this country, and the additional funding of €67.4 million furthers this delivery. I am happy to take questions from the members of the committee on any aspect of this additional capital funding requirement as it relates to the NBP. I thank the committee.