Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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31. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps taken to address the situation faced by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32119/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Question refers to a premises which is located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention, the contract for which was signed in November last with National Broadband Ireland (NBI). 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. As of 20 October, design work is complete or on-going in target townlands across 25 counties and steady progress is being made with over 114,000 premises surveyed to date. This activity is increasing week on week and NBI expects to have completed some 120,000 surveys by the end of the year.

This activity involves 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. This detailed design is then used to initiate the ‘make ready’ project with eir for the area, where eir ensure any poles and ducts being reused are fit for purpose. It is also used to initiate works with the subcontractors deploying the actual fibre in the area. The laying of fibre should commence shortly with the first fibre to the home connections expected around December this year in Cork. NBI provides a facility for any premises within the AMBER area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website www.nbi.ie.  

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 174 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and 55 of theses are now connected  with  high speed broadband service  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 for schools.  Locations in Mayo in areas such as Taugheen, Bofeenaun, Islandeady and Killaser Community Centres were chosen by the Department of Rural and Community Development in conjunction with Mayo County Council and are all installed and connected. Other locations installed and awaiting connection include Belderrig Community and Research Centre and Clare Island Community Centre. Further details can be found at .

I understand that there can be instances where premises remain unconnected, although close to premises that are passed by eir’s fibre network. Eir’s rural deployment of high speed broadband is a commercial undertaking and, as such, decisions regarding the areas and premises served are made by eir. My Department has no role in the matter and has no statutory authority to intervene in decisions of commercial operators as to where they build infrastructure and provide services. Throughout rural Ireland, eir’s fibre deployment is primarily focussed on towns and villages and the premises on their outskirts. Where that network ends is where the National Broadband Plan in effect commences to ensure that nobody is left behind.

I appreciate people's frustration when they are living so close to a fibre network but cannot get a connection to that network, particularly given the heightened importance of connectivity during the Covid-19 pandemic. The NBP will ensure that in all such cases a future proofed high speed broadband network will be built to serve these premises and work to deliver on this is underway.