Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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147. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the analysis that has been carried out into accelerating the roll-out of the national broadband plan in 2022 in order to catch up with the recently missed revised target of 60,000 homes by end-January 2022; the analysis that has been carried out by his Department into the impact of the missing of this revised target on the overall timeline for the roll-out of the plan; the number of homes that have been passed to date in Galway city and county; if the January 2022 target was reached in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10256/22]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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National Broadband Ireland (NBI) has made steady progress on delivery of the new high speed fibre broadband network under the National Broadband Plan (NBP).  In County Galway surveying is complete in the Deployment Areas of Gurteen, Kilkerrin, Duniry and Lettermore, pre-works are underway in the Deployment Areas of Gort, Athenry, Loughrea and Inverin and network build is complete in the Deployment Areas of Ballinasloe and Galway. To date in County Galway over 21,000 premises have been surveyed, over 8,300 premises are under construction and almost 7,000 premises are now available for order or pre-order.

In line with a remedial plan to address Covid-19 related delays which was agreed with my Department in April 2021, following detailed engagement, NBI had expected to have almost 60,000 premises passed and available for immediate connection by the end of January 2022. As would be expected with a large scale infrastructure build of this nature, challenges were encountered with the build process and also as a result of Covid-19 impacts. NBI continues to work with its network and build partners to address all issues as they arise. Work is underway to re-baseline milestones for 2022 and beyond, with targets for 2022 to be agreed in the coming weeks. 

The 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. The primary focus, however, 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.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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149. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the annual projected expenditure in funding by the State on the national broadband plan for the years 2021 to 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10274/22]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The National Broadband Plan (NBP) contract signed in 2019 provides that a future proofed high speed broadband network will be deployed by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to people living and working in the intervention area. It is expected that over 600,000 premises will be served by the fibre network, including new builds. The maximum possible cost to the State will be €2.7 Billion over 25 years. The majority of this subsidy will be used  over the years 2022 to 2030 as NBI achieve deployment milestones and connects premises. The total cost also includes €480m in conditional subsidy that may be triggered in a limited number of specific circumstances.

Exchequer spend on the NBP in 2021 was €144.8 million. The funding available for the NBP for 2022 is €225 million.

Work is underway to re-baseline milestones for 2022 and beyond, with targets for 2022 to be agreed in the coming weeks. This work will inform the budgetary and expenditure profile for 2022 and beyond.