Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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203. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on when the pending survey of the Bantry area under the National Broadband Plan will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23144/22]

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 almost 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools. I am advised by NBI that as of 29 April 2022, almost 323,000 premises have now been surveyed and over 175,000 premises are under construction or complete across 26 counties, demonstrating that the project is reaching scale. I am further advised that over 65,500 premises are now available to order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 22 counties, with over 47,100 premises passed across 21 counties and available for immediate connection. NBI has further advised that over 10,500 premises have been connected, as of 29 April, and that this is increasing on a daily basis. To date, the level of connections is in line with projections and some areas are exceeding expectations.

In County Cork surveying is complete in the Deployment Areas of Templemartin, Tallow, Kanturk, Fermoy and Clonakilty, main works are underway in the Deployment Areas of Midleton and Youghal and network build is complete in the Deployment Area of Carrigaline. To date over 39,100 premises in County Cork have been surveyed, with over 17,600 premises under construction or complete and over 8,900 premises now available to order or pre-order. With regard to the area referred to in the Question, I am advised by NBI that it is anticipated that surveying will commence in the Bantry Deployment Area in H1 2023.

Further details are available on specific areas within County Cork 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 29 April, 574 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 Cork 23 BCP’s have been installed to date.  The site at Mealagh Valley Community Centre, which is now connected, is located approximately 10km from Bantry. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-locations/ .  

In County Cork 45 schools have been installed by NBI to date 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. Further details of schools in scope are available on the NBI website at nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/ .