Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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220. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of premises surveyed to date by county within the amber area as part of the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35185/20]

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 last November 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 over 544,000 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.

I am advised by NBI that, as of 4 November 2020, almost 122,000 premises across 25 counties have been surveyed which is ahead of the full year survey target of 120,000 that had been projected by the company. Survey works in Co. Meath are due to commence in the coming weeks. 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 first fibre to the home connections are expected next month in Carrigaline, Co Cork and they will be subject to technical testing and validation prior to a wider release of the area. I am advised that from the end of January retailers will be able to resell the service and householders in this area will be able to order high speed broadband provided via the NBI network.

Based on information available at 4 November, I am advised that the following is the number of premises per County that have been surveyed.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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222. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of schools to date connected to broadband connection points as part of the roll out of the national broadband plan; the number to be connected by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35187/20]

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 last November 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 over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.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 30 October, some 187 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.

As part of this initiative, some 74 schools will be provided with high speed broadband, for educational use only, through a service provider contract managed by the Department of Education and Skills. My Department will work with Department of Education and Skills to prioritise the remaining schools to be connected over the term of the NBP.To date, 6 schools have been connected with high speed broadband. Based on information available at 4 November, I am advised that the following is the number of schools per county to be connected as part of the BCP initiative.