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

The high-speed broadband map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie, shows the areas in Cork which will be included in the national broadband plan. As of this week almost 122,000 premises across 25 counties have been surveyed by National Broadband Ireland, NBI, which is ahead of the full-year survey target of 120,000 that had been projected by the company. Of this figure, some 16,432 premises have been surveyed to date in Cork. This activity informs design solutions for the provision of the fibre network, and NBI crews have started initial works for the build covering approximately 4,000 premises in the Carrigaline area, including Cullen, Templebreedy, Carrigaline, Ballyfoyle, Douglas, Ballyphehane, Glasheen, Mahon, and Kilpatrick. The first fibre to the home connections are expected next month and they will be subject to technical testing and validation prior to a wider release of the area. I am advised that, from the end of January, retailers will be able to resell the service and householders in these areas will be able to order high-speed broadband provided via the NBI network.

Further details are available on specific areas within Cork through the NBI website, which provides a facility for any premises within the intervention area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website www.nbi.ie. Individuals who register with this facility will receive regular updates on progress by NBI on delivering the network and specific updates related to their own premises when works are due to commence.

Broadband connection points are a key element of the national broadband plan, providing high-speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll-out of the fibre to the home network.

As of 30 October, 187 sites 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 publicly available sites, and by the Department of Education for schools. Fifty-nine publicly accessible broadband connection points, BCPs, across the country are now live, with seven of these in County Cork. In addition, Clogagh and Ballycroneen national schools in Cork will also be connected for educational access as part of the BCP initiative.

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