Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

205. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will include areas such as Rathmichael, Old Connaught, Bride’s Glen, Ballycorus and Shankill in the National Broadband Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31442/21]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie, shows the areas 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 2019 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.There are 615,682 premises in County Dublin of which 602,253 (98%) are in the commercial area and 13,429 (2%) premises are within the NBP Intervention Area. I am advised that the areas referred to in the Question contain premises in both Blue and Amber areas. 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.

The AMBER areas within the areas referred to are located in the Enniskerry deployment area and NBI has advised that surveying has be completed in the area and the premises will be provided with access to highspeed broadband under the  NBP ensuring that none of the premises will be left behind.

Despite the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, NBI has made steady progress on delivery of the new high speed fibre broadband network. NBI has advised that as of the 10 June over 225,000 premises have been surveyed across all counties of which 2,437 premises have been surveyed in County Dublin.

This survey work has enabled detailed designs to be developed for each deployment area including Enniskerry. The detailed designs are then used to initiate the ‘make ready’ project with Open eir, 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.

Further details are available on specific areas within Dublin through the NBI website www.nbi.iewhich provides a facility for any premises within the intervention area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates. 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 when works are due to 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.