Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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79. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan throughout Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53589/21]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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There are over 16,000 premises in County Cavan and over 15,000 premises in County Monaghan in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) Intervention Area that will receive access to high speed broadband under the State led intervention to be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI).

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.

I am advised that as of 27 October, over 10,000 premises in both County Cavan and County Monaghan have been surveyed. In Cavan, surveying is underway in the Deployment Area of Cootehill, surveys are complete in the Deployment Area of Kilnaleck and network build is complete in the Deployment Area of Cavan. Over 3,500 premises are passed and available for connection in County Cavan. In Monaghan, surveying is completed in the Deployment Areas of Emyvale, Clones and Carrickmacross, with network build underway in the Deployment Area of Monaghan. Over 4,000 premises are available to order or pre-order connections in County Monaghan.

Further details are available on specific areas within Counties Cavan and Monaghan 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. NBI 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 27 October, 386 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 school BCPs.

In County Cavan, BCPs are installed at Castlerahan Community Centre, Cornafean Community Centre, Glengevlin Community Hall, Drumavaddy Community Centre, Castle Saunderson Scout Centre, Bunnoe Community Centre, Killenkere Leisure Centre, Mullahoran Community Centre, Templeport Community Centre and Kildallan Parish Hall. In County Monaghan, BCPs are installed at Mullyash Community Centre, St. Patrick’s Accommodation Centre, Monaghan GAA Centre of Excellence, Latton Resource Centre, Corcaghan Community Centre, Corduff Community Centre, Tannagh Outdoor Education Centre, Geraldines GAA Club, Tullycorbet Parish Hall, Carn Resource Centre, Saint Alphonsus Community Hall, Ceremartin Community Hall, Ballybay Wetlands and Latton O'Rahilly Gaelic Football Club. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.

In County Cavan, Killoughter National School, Corlis National School, Kilmore National School, Lackan National School, Dromaili S N, Saint Patrick's School, Kildallan National School, Greaghrahan National School, Laragh National School and Corlea National School have been installed. In County Monaghan, Drumcorrin National School, Drumacrutten National School, Saint Mary's School, Saint Brigid’s National School, Annalitten National School, Connons National School, Saint Michael's National School, Latnamard National School and Drumgossatt National School have been installed by NBI for educational access. 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 nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.