Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

133. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress to date in the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the progress expected in improving access to broadband in this area in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18758/22]

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

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). Government investment in Counties Cavan and Monaghan in the NBP will be in the order of €65 million and €60 million respectively.In County Cavan surveying is complete in the Deployment Areas of Kilnaleck and Cootehill and network build is complete in the Deployment Area of Cavan, with almost 10,500 premises surveyed to date and some 3,700 premises now available to order or pre-order. In County Monaghan surveying is complete in the Deployment Areas of Clones and Carrickmacross, pre-works are underway in the Deployment Area of Emyvale and network build is complete in the Deployment Area of Monaghan, with over 10,600 premises surveyed to date, over 5,700 premises under construction or complete and almost 4,400 premises available to order or pre-order.

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.

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

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 31 March 2022, some 12 sites are installed in Cavan and 15 sites in Monaghan.  Further details can be found at .

In County Cavan 12 schools have been installed by NBI to date for educational access, with 11 installed in County Monaghan. My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high speed broadband, within the Intervention Area. Further details of schools in scope are available on the NBI website at nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

134. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the recently reported €17 million that was paid to various consultancy firms in relation to the National Broadband Plan are included in his Department’s estimates of the overall cost of the project to the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18825/22]

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

The cost to the taxpayer for the completion of the National Broadband Plan (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. Since the NBP contract was signed in November 2019, my Department has published a significant level of information on the progress of the plan, including detailed financial information with respect to the cost of the external experts who support my Department in its oversight and governance role of the NBP contract. The cost of these external advisors will be met from within the overall capped budget of €2.7 billion.