Dáil debates

Thursday, 4 November 2021

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

National Broadband Plan

10:00 am

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

I am the Minister of State responsible for broadband and that does not just involve the NBP. I am also responsible for ensuring the whole country has broadband and there are blackspots within urban areas as well. There are over 624,000 premises in County Dublin, of which 15,000 are within the NBP intervention area. Those premises will receive access to high speed broadband under the NBP. Government investment in County Dublin in the NBP will be approximately €48 million. I am advised by NBI that, as of 27 October, almost 2,500 premises in County Dublin have been surveyed. In Dublin, surveying is complete or under way in areas around Skerries, Balbriggan, north County Dublin, Fingal, Castleknock, Blanchardstown, Clonsilla, Ongar, Chapelizod, Ballyfermot, Cabra, Bluebell and Finglas. Build work is currently under way in the Skerries area. The NBI website provides a facility for any premises within the intervention area to register its interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website www.nbi.ie.

In addition to the challenges to the delivery of the NBP due to the Covid-19 pandemic, NBI has faced a range of other challenges due to the sheer scale and complexity of rolling out fibre to the home in a rural environment. My Department has worked closely with NBI to put in place a remedial plan under the contract. This plan addresses delays experienced by NBI, primarily arising as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and re-baselines milestones for 2021. Work is under way to re-baseline milestones for 2022 and beyond.

Broadband connection points, BCPs, are a key element of the NBP, providing high speed broadband to every county in advance of the roll-out of the fibre to the home network. As of 27 October, 386 BCP sites have been installed by NBI 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 accessible sites and the Department of Education for school BCPs. BCPs are installed in County Dublin at Man O'War GAA club, Applewood Community Centre, Tyrrelstown Community Centre, Newbridge House and Farm, Glenasmole Community Centre, Stars of Erin GAA and Dublin Mountain Community Centre and Fingal Ravens GAA club. Balscadden National School's BCP has been installed by NBI for educational access.

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