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

Ireland's digital connectivity strategy, published by my Department, sets ambitious targets, which include providing a gigabit network to all households and businesses in Ireland by 2028 and access to 5G in all populated areas by 2030, which is high speed and future-proofed. National Broadband Ireland, NBI, is rolling out a broadband network through its contract with the Minister. The intervention area covers in excess of 1.1 million people living and working in more than 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 672 schools. NBI is connecting about 4,000 homes each month. NBI expect to have passed in excess of 300,000 premises by the end of 2024, with about 120,000 premises passed each year thereafter until the end of deployment. I am advised by NBI that more than 243,000 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. In excess of 80,200 premises are already connected to the national broadband plan's high-speed broadband network.

My Department has engaged with NBI at every opportunity to explore options that might increase the pace of roll-out. For example, my Department has been working with directors of service and broadband officers from each of the 31 local authorities, the Local Government Management Agency, the County and City Management Association, the Road Management Office and other Departments, where appropriate, to ensure any possible barriers that might delay the roll-out are addressed as soon as possible. Engagement with other bodies such as Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Irish Rail and ComReg are also undertaken. I understand that NBI is in regular discussions with Eir, which is responsible for the remediation of poles, to increase the rate of pole replacement each month and Eir has responded positively to these requests. NBI has also procured the necessary subcontractors, materials and equipment to support the programme into the foreseeable future to ensure there are no bottlenecks in the supply chain.

The network roll-out for the NBP is divided into 227 deployment areas across the country. These typically measure approximately 25 km in radius and cover 96% of Ireland's landmass. The network is specifically designed based on Eir exchanges or the metropolitan area networks which allows NBI to reach every premises quickly.

Along with the NBP intervention contract, progress is being made by commercial operators in expanding their next generation networks throughout the State and ensuring the targets set out in the digital connectivity strategy are achieved.

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