Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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277. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide a list of the broadband connection points that are now live by county; the date for each of the outstanding locations will go live by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29150/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Broadband Connection Point (BCP) initiative will deliver high-speed broadband connectivity to approximately 300 publicly accessible sites across the country. These sites are located primarily in rural and remote areas, including our offshore islands, which currently do not have reliable broadband services.

Broadband Connection Points will be among the first sites connected under the National Broadband Plan and represent a collaboration between my Department, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Local Authorities and the communities that will host and benefit most from the initiative.

There are currently over 200 public access BCP sites, in addition to 75 school BCPs, scheduled for connection before the end of 2020. A further 50-100 additional sites are expected to be connected in early 2021. By the end of the connection phase of the project, there will be BCPs in every county in Ireland.

A list of the sites which have currently been selected as BCPS are available on National Broadband Ireland's website at .

At present there are a number of sites that have had both the initial connection installed by National Broadband Ireland, the company contracted to deliver the NBP, and by Vodafone, the company contracted to provide user equipment and support.

I hope to be in a position to make an announcement in relation to the operationalisation of the BCPs shortly.