Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1132. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of the broadband officers in each local authority in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5454/20]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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There are currently Broadband Officers working within each of the 31 Local Authorities in Ireland. Broadband Officers were appointed on foot of a recommendation of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce in 2016 and their posts are co-funded by my Department.

The Broadband Officers act as a single point of contact within their Local Authorities for the public, telecommunications companies and elected representatives on matters regarding telecommunications development. They also act in a coordinating role within their Local Authorities and contribute to the formulation and delivery of national policy initiatives through their engagement with my Department.

The key focus of the Broadband Officers’ work is supporting the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan (NBP). They have been working with my Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to identify and address any potential local barriers to the NBP roll-out, but also to drive demand for services and ensure that communities are ready to make the best use of broadband connectivity when it arrives to their areas.

In addition to the wider National Broadband Plan, Broadband Officers have been working to identify Broadband Connection Points (BCPs). BCPs are mainly publicly accessible buildings, such as sports clubs and community centres, and will be among the first premises connected under the National Broadband Plan. BCPs will provide onsite access to communities with little or no connectivity ahead of the arrival of a permanent fibre connection.

On behalf of their Local Authorities, the Broadband Officers also lead on a number of initiatives aimed at improving regional connectivity and digital development, including the European Commission’s WiFi4EU program and my Department’s Digital Innovation Programme.

Broadband Officers have played a central and critical role in the marked increase in mobile phone and broadband accessibility across the State. They have engaged proactively with companies, community groups and representative groups to ensure that the public receive the services that they need. Their role has been singled out by industry leaders as one of the most significant drivers of national telecommunications development in recent years.

A list of Broadband Officers, including their contact details, is provided on the table below. These details are published on the Gov.ie website at .