Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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272. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures in place to improve broadband connections for those in the Dublin area who suffer from poor broadband connections, which hampers their ability to work from home during the Covid-19 pandemic (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33663/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at shows the areas in Dublin which will be included in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led intervention as well as areas targeted by commercial operators. The map is colour coded and searchable by address and Eircode.

- Premises in the AMBER area will be provided with high speed broadband through the State led Intervention, the contract for which was signed in November last with National Broadband Ireland (NBI).

- The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.

My Department's investigations have highlighted that Woodpark Estate is in the BLUE area and that for many of the premises there may be a choice of operators offering this service in this area. Further information in this regard is available at www.comreg.ie/compare/#/services.

The activities of commercial operators delivering high speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and my Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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273. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when high-speed broadband will be delivered to a person (details supplied); the timeline to implement same as part of the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33715/20]

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 . 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 27 October, design work is complete or on-going in target townlands across 25 counties and steady progress is being made with over 118,000 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. Surveys have commenced in areas around Johnstown, Kill and Naas.

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 .

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. As of 23 October, some 179 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and 59 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. In addition, school BCPs will be provided with high speed broadband, for educational use only, through a service provider contract managed by the Department of Education and Skills. To date, 6 schools have been connected with high speed broadband for educational access only. It is anticipated that 275 BCP sites will be connected by the end of the year. Further details can be found at .

BCPs locations due for installation in Kildare include Backgate Lodge, Kilkee Demesne, Castledermot and Crookstown Further Education and Training Centre. BCPs installed and waiting connectivity include Lullymore Heritage Park and Bigstone Community Hall.  Further details can be found at .  A number of schools in Kildare including Saint David’s National School, Killashee, Naas and Rathmore National School, Rathmore West, Naas will be connected to high speed broadband as part of the BCP initiative. My Department will work with Department of Education and Skills to prioritise the remaining schools to be connected over the term of the NBP.

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 focused 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.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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274. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if fibre broadband will be put in place for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33731/20]

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 .

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 27 October, design work is complete or on-going in target townlands across 25 counties and steady progress is being made with over 118,000 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 (). In Donegal, surveys have commenced in the areas of Milford, Letterkenny, Ramelton, Termon, Ballymacool, Kilmacrennan, Mullaghfin and Tommyscroft.

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. As of 23 October, some 179 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and 59 of these are now connected with high speed publicly accessible broadband, through a service provider contract managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development. In addition, school BCPs will be provided with high speed broadband, for educational use only, through a service provider contract managed by the Department of Education and Skills. To date, 6 schools have been connected with high speed broadband for educational access only. It is anticipated that 275 BCP sites will be connected by the end of the year. My Department will work with Department of Education and Skills to prioritise the remaining schools to be connected over the term of the NBP. Further details can be found at .

BCPs connected in County Donegal include Ambarelann Gaoth Dobhair, Dunree Museum in Inishowen and Ray Athletic Club. Other locations including Rathmullan Tory Co-Op, Leghowney Community Centre, Cranford Coole Community Centre and Meenreagh Hostel have been installed by NBI and are awaiting connection.

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.