Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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126. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the roll-out of high-speed rural broadband in south-western areas of County Cork. [9367/22]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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There are over 276,000 premises in County Cork of which over 80,600 are within the National Broadband Plan (NBP) Intervention Area and will receive access to high speed broadband under the NBP. Government investment in County Cork in the NBP will be in the order of €314 million.

National Broadband Ireland has made steady progress on delivery of the new high speed fibre broadband network under the National Broadband Plan. In County Cork surveying is underway in the Deployment Area of Clonakilty and surveying is complete in the Deployment Areas of Templemartin, Tallow, Kanturk and Fermoy. Main works are underway in the Deployment Areas of Midleton and Youghal and network build is complete in the Deployment Area of Carrigaline.  As of 11 February, over 35,000 premises in County Cork have been surveyed, with over 10,500 premises under construction and there are more than 4,500 premises than can today order a fibre broadband service.  In South West Cork survey is underway in the Deployment Area of Clonakilty and to date 1,345 premises have been surveyed in the area. 

Bringing connectivity to remote locations is central to promoting regional development including to South West Cork.  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 11 February 2022, some 22 BCP sites have been installed in County Cork by NBI and 7 of the BCP sites installed are located in South West Cork: Caheragh Community Hall, Clogagh Community Hall, Mealagh Valley Community Centre, Bere Island Heritage Centre, Sherkin Island Community Hall, Lissavard Community Centre and Coláiste Phobal Cléire.

In County Cork some 15 schools have been installed by NBI to date for educational access and one of the school sites installed is located in Cork South West at Clogagh National School.  My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high speed broadband, within the Intervention Area.