Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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191. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount of public funds that have been used on the National Broadband Plan; if that is in keeping with what was originally meant to be spent at this stage of the rollout.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5983/22]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The maximum possible cost to the taxpayer, for the completion of the NBP high speed broadband network under a contract with National Broadband Ireland (NBI), is capped at €2.7 billion over 25 years. This figure includes €480 million for contingency costs, which are only allowed under specific circumstances.The Contract requires NBI to deliver to specific key delivery milestones before subsidy claims can be submitted. NBI is only entitled to draw down subsidy payments once these milestones are fully achieved and independently verified.Progress on the rollout of the NBP high speed broadband network has been slower than expected. This is largely due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic but there have also been complexities as a result of utilising existing networks. Any delays by NBI in meeting target milestones results in the subsidy payments being withheld by the Department until the target milestones are met. Since progress is slower than expected, the level of payments to NBI is correspondingly lower than originally planned. My Department closely monitors progress towards these milestones through a comprehensive governance framework. The cost of subsidy payments made to NBI since 2020 is €177.46 million.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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192. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the National Broadband Plan is on schedule; and the estimated completion date (details supplied).; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5984/22]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, 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 554,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools. The NBP roll out is currently a 7 year plan under the contract and deployment is due to be complete by the end of 2026. Despite the unprecedented challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, National Broadband Ireland has made steady progress on delivery of the new high speed fibre broadband network under the National Broadband Plan. I am advised by NBI that, as of 31 January, almost 296,000 premises have been surveyed or have survey underway, with over 154,000 premises constructed or under construction across all counties. NBI has also advised that premises are connected in 16 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Laois, Limerick, Louth, Monaghan, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Wexford and Wicklow and over 54,500 premises are available to order and pre-order across 21 counties. 

Further details are available on specific areas 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. 

In addition to the challenges to the delivery of the NBP due to the Covid-19 pandemic, NBI has faced a range of other challenges due to the sheer scale and complexity of rolling out fibre to the home in a rural environment. These include significant tree trimming to ensure cable can be placed on overhead poles, remediation of ducting that has been in place for many decades, the co-ordination of hundreds of contracting crews and addressing the many issues arising week on week which could not have been foreseen until the build crews commenced work on the ground. My Department has worked closely with NBI to put in place a remedial plan under the Contract. This plan addresses delays experienced by NBI, primarily arising as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and re-baselines milestones for 2021. Work is underway to re-baseline milestones for 2022 and beyond.  This has resulted in some changes to timeframes for connection for end users.

NBI has implemented a number of measures to help lessen the impact that these challenges have had on the rollout including:-

- Increasing the rate of pole replacement and duct remediation per month;

- Bringing in additional NBI resources;

- Earlier procurement of material used in the build stages; and

- Bringing in additional subcontractors

It remains the ambition of the Government to rollout the National Broadband Plan as quickly as possible. My Department continues to engage with NBI to explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of the NBP rollout to establish the possibility of bringing forward premises which are currently scheduled in years 6 and 7 of the current plan to an earlier date. However, the primary focus must be on addressing the delays which have arisen and ensuring that the National Broadband Ireland build programme gets back on track and is building momentum month on month.