Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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82. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the areas in County Cork which will be connected first in view of recent announcements regarding the rollout of the National Broadband Plan. [25128/20]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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91. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the rollout of rural broadband in west County Cork to deal with the hundreds of black spot areas that do not have adequate broadband. [24998/20]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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92. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the rollout of the National Broadband Plan in County Cork; the areas which will be connected first within the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25126/20]

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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161. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the priority areas identified in County Cork for roll out of the National Broadband Plan. [24333/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 91, 92 and 161 together.

The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed on 19 November last to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the nearly 540,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.

The NBP network will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. This represents an increase from the 150Mbps committed to under the Contract. The deployment plan forecasts premises passed in all counties within the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State having  access to high speed broadband within the next four years.

Design work is complete or ongoing in target townlands across 21 counties and steady progress is being made with over 91,000 premises surveyed as of the 15 September. This survey work is feeding into detailed designs for each deployment area and laying fibre should commence shortly with the first fibre to the home connections expected around December.

As of the 15 September, approximately 12,000 premises have been surveyed in Cork in areas of Carrigaline and Middleton, with network designs completed to deliver the new fibre network there. NBI crews have started initial works for the build in the areas of Carrigaline including Cullen, Templebreedy, Carrigaline, Ballyfolye, Douglas, Ballyphehane, Glasheen, Mahon, and Kilpatrick. Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. Some 144 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 available sites and by the Department of Education and Skills (DES) for schools.

In Cork, publically available WIFI will soon be available at BCP locations across the county including  Aubane, Mealagh Valley, Glash, Courtbrack, Sherkin Island, Ballindangan, Lissvard Community Centres and Bere Island Heritage Centre. Clogagh and Ballycroneen National Schools will also be connected with high speed broadband for educational access.

Further details can be found at . Bringing connectivity to remote rural locations is central to promoting regional development and BCPs represent an important delivery in the early stages of the National Broadband Plan.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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83. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the planned improvements to rural broadband in County Kerry. [24991/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed on 19 November last to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the nearly 540,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.

The NBP network will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. This represents an increase from the 150Mbps committed to under the Contract. The deployment plan forecasts premises passed in all counties within the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State having access to high speed broadband within the next four years.

Design work is complete or ongoing in target townlands across 21 counties, including Co Kerry, and steady progress is being made with over 91,000 premises surveyed as at 15 September. This survey work is feeding into detailed designs for each deployment area and laying fibre should commence shortly with the first fibre to the home connections expected in Cork around December this year.

Surveys have been completed in areas close to Tralee and Killarney. This involved physically walking the routes and documenting images, notes and measurements of the poles, cables and underground ducts in each area. This is informing design solutions for provision of the fibre network. NBI provides a facility for any premises within the Intervention Area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website (). 

Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. Some 144 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 available sites and by the Department of Education and Skills (DES) for schools.

There are a number of BCPs located across County Kerry including Coars National School, Boheeshil National School, Gap of Dunloe National School which will be connected for educational access as part of this initiative. In addition, the public will be able to benefit from publicly accessible WIFI at locations across the county such as Gneeveguilla (Tureencahill), Kielduff, Inch, Kells and Valentia Island Community Centres. Further details can be found at .

Bringing connectivity to remote rural locations is central to promoting regional development and BCPs represent an important delivery in the early stages of the National Broadband Plan.