Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair and the committee for this opportunity to present details of this Supplementary Estimate for my Department. This Supplementary Estimate is required to provide additional funding of €30 million for the national broadband plan because it will exceed its planned delivery for this year. Other elements of the Supplementary Estimate include: funding of €520 million required for the fourth electricity costs emergency benefit scheme; €3.32 million which is part of an approved allocation from the EU's REPowerEU for the deep retrofit of a number of HSE sites; and €440,000 to facilitate the recoupment of an overpayment of prefinancing made by the EU Commission from the EU's just transition fund to Ireland. The Select Committee on Environment and Climate Action will consider these elements at its session tomorrow.

The Government is committed to ensuring that high-speed broadband is delivered to every home, farm, business and school in Ireland. The national broadband plan contract provides for a future-proofed high-speed broadband network to be deployed by National Broadband Ireland to people living and working in the intervention area. Over the life of the programme, it is expected that over 600,000 premises, including new builds, will benefit from connection to the high-speed network. When complete, the national broadband plan, which is the largest infrastructural project in rural Ireland since rural electrification, will provide for a future-proofed broadband network spanning 96% of Ireland’s landmass and will bring high-speed broadband to 23% of Ireland’s population.

Notwithstanding the challenges in the implementation of the national broadband plan, mainly due to the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, the roll-out of the new high-speed fibre broadband network has ramped up significantly. Significant additional progress has been made to date, with National Broadband Ireland reporting design completed on over 538,000 premises. Over 300,000 premises are now passed by the network and are available for connection. More than 99,000 premises have now been connected. This equates to approximately 4,200 homes now being connected every month. In addition, high-speed broadband has been provided to all primary schools in the intervention area.

Connecting the islands around Ireland is also an important aspect of the national broadband plan, ensuring that those living on offshore islands have the same access to high-speed broadband as those living on the mainland. So far, National Broadband Ireland has completed fibre deployment on ten islands. In 2024, we saw the delivery of fibre broadband to the Black Valley, which was the last place in Ireland to connect to the electricity grid. Works to connect the Black Valley are nearing completion. Most homes and farms in the area are now able to connect to high-speed fibre broadband. The remaining build works for a small number of premises in the most remote parts of the valley are set to be completed in the coming months.

The delivery of fibre broadband to the Black Valley is a significant milestone for the national broadband plan. Residents who have already connected are enjoying the benefits of reliable, high-speed broadband. This was one of the most challenging parts of the national broadband plan roll-out - delivery with minimum impact to the natural beauty of the region and without disruption to tourism during the vibrant season within the valley. The delivery of high-speed broadband for the citizens of Ireland is necessary for the continued economic and social development of this country, and the additional funding of €30 million furthers this delivery.

I am happy to take questions from the committee on any aspect of this additional capital funding requirement as it relates to the national broadband plan.