Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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13. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider the proposal that National Broadband Ireland employ much greater numbers of employees to conduct the necessary surveys for the roll-out of fibre broadband in rural areas (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12380/21]

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 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 over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.Surveying is the first step towards delivering the new fibre network and involves physically walking the routes and documenting images, notes and measurements of the poles, cables and underground ducts in each area. This informs design solutions for provision of the fibre network to each and every premises in the surveyed area and leads to detailed designs. The detailed designs are then used to initiate the ‘make ready’ project with Open eir for the area, where Open eir ensure any poles and ducts being reused are fit for purpose and the make ready of other required infrastructure. This step also informs decisions on equipment ordering. Survey data is also needed to initiate pre-works which pave the way for the deploying of fibre. Pre-works involve construction of new duct routes, erection of poles, building chambers, and tree trimming. On completion of these pre-works, the main construction works can commence. This involves deploying fibre overhead on poles and in underground ducts, splicing of fibre, and unblocking of ducts. Once the main construction works are completed and the appropriate level of testing has been undertaken, the fibre network can be commissioned and end users can order their connection.

The network rollout is divided into 227 Deployment Areas (DAs) across the country. These are typically an area of approximately 25km in radius and in total they cover 96% of Ireland’s landmass. The architecture of the network design is specifically based on the design of the NBI network coming from the eir exchanges or the metropolitan area networks (MANs) managed by Enet. It is based on an engineering design that allows NBI to get to every premises as quickly as possible working within the confines of how fibre networks are built. The deployment plan forecasts construction commenced 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.

Since January 2020, NBI has mobilised the staff, subcontractors, infrastructure and material providers required to deliver the NBP and is currently providing direct and indirect employment to over 900 people. These levels will continue to increase as the roll out ramps up.

I am advised by National Broadband Ireland that, as of 24 February 2021, over 181,000 premises across all counties have been surveyed which is well ahead of the target anticipated by NBI.  In Tipperary 8,643 premises have been surveyed including in the areas of Tipperary, Aherloe, Ballinalard and Bansha. Surveys are progressing in the Roscea area and surrounding townlands, Cashel, Townspark, Boherlahan, Goolds Cross, Knockavilla, Garrenroe, Camus Bridge, Golden, Shanballa, Dogstown, Racecourse Cross, Rosegreen, Knockbrett, Mayfield, Boscobell and Dualla.  Build works have commenced in Tipperary and the surrounding townlands of Aherloe, Ballinalard and Bansha and pre-build works have commenced in Clonmel.

Further details are available on specific areas within County Tipperary through the NBI website which provides a facility for any premises within the intervention area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website www.nbi.ie. Individuals who register with this facility will receive regular updates on progress by NBI on delivering the network and specific updates related to their own premises as works commence. I am advised that NBI is working to provide more detail on its website, with a rolling update on network build plans. NBI also has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.

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 24 February, 275 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 accessible sites and the Department of Education for schools. BCP sites installed in Tipperary are Drom Community Centre, Killoscully Community Centre and Killea GAA Club.  Sites at Moyglass Community Hall, Killurney Community Centre and Aglish Community Centre are installed and connected.  Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/. 

Poulacapple National School and Killeen National School are connected as part of this initiative for educational access only. My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high speed broadband, within the Intervention Area, for connection over the term of the NBP. In this regard, an acceleration of this aspect of the National Broadband Plan was announced in December which will see some 679 primary schools connected to high speed broadband by 2022, well ahead of the original target delivery timeframe of 2026. Further details are available on the NBI website at .