Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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174. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which ongoing progress can be reported in regard to the provision of high-speed modern broadband in all areas throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46023/22]

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 over 560,000 premises, including over 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.

I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, as of 9 September 2022, over 88,000 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 25 counties, with over 75,500 premises passed across 23 counties and available for immediate connection. Construction is underway across 26 counties demonstrating that the project is reaching scale. To date, the level of connections is increasing on a daily basis and is in line with or exceeding projections.

NBI has made recent improvements to their website to enhance the provision of information to Oireachtas members. NBI has now completed a suite of changes, creating a portal that will serve as a means for Oireachtas members to proactively search for information relevant to their county/local area. The portal provides an up-to-date picture of NBI’s deployment schedule across the 227 Deployment Areas (DAs) in all 26 counties. A particular county can be selected to view an update of the overall number of premises in the Intervention Area, the overall NBP investment in the county, the number of premises passed and connected to date and the status of each of the Deployment Areas with the anticipated date for connection over the lifetime of the project. The dedicated webpage can be accessed here: www.nbi.ie.

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 9 September 2022, 716 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.

Over 430 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/.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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175. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which ongoing efforts are being made to meet applications for modern high-speed broadband from those areas that may be between serviced areas but are yet without service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46024/22]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The NBP network that is being built by National Broadband Ireland will ensure that all of those living and working within the NBP intervention area will have access to a future proofed high-speed broadband network. Deployment of the network is now ongoing in every county in Ireland with the build programme reaching scale. Connectivity will continue to be available from a variety of operators already in the market who offer fixed and wireless options for people to access broadband.

Mobile operators also provide connectivity options and to assist consumers, ComReg has developed a national outdoor coverage map (available here: coveragemap.comreg.ie/#/map) to provide consumers with clear information on where operators have good 2G, 3G and 4G coverage. Mobile coverage obligations are set out in licences granted by ComReg who advises that all operators are exceeding the current minimum coverage obligations. Capital investment by telecommunications operators over the last 5 years came to €3.3 billion for both fixed and mobile services enhancing the availability of services, both voice and data, throughout Ireland, including in rural areas.

ComReg is currently in the process of running another Multi-band Spectrum Award to assign rights of use in four spectrum bands. The award comprises 470 MHz of spectrum and represents a 46% increase in the harmonised spectrum assigned for the provision of wireless broadband services in Ireland. This will enable the operators to provide improved services to meet increasing consumer demand for mobile data and new services. The proposals include significant coverage obligations for prospective winning bidders.

In Ireland, the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce has been a driving force since 2016 for improving access to telecommunications services nationwide with over 70 targeted actions completed to alleviate connectivity barriers. It tackles issues impeding the rollout of mobile and fixed connectivity. It is co-managed by my Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Broadband Connection Points (BCP) provide wireless connectivity, to support remote working and connected communities with public access to free high-speed broadband. 268 live BCP sites are in regular use, with a monthly average of 1,010 new and 6,415 returning users across the network.

Further details are available on specific areas through the NBI website. The website 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.

NBI has made recent improvements to their website to enhance the provision of information to Oireachtas members. NBI has now completed a suite of changes, creating a portal that will serve as a means for Oireachtas members to proactively search for information relevant to their county/local area. The portal provides an up-to-date picture of NBI’s deployment schedule across the 227 Deployment Areas (DAs) in all twenty-six counties. A particular county can be selected to view an update of the overall number of premises in the intervention area, the overall NBP investment in the county, the number of premises passed and connected to date and the status of each of the Deployment Areas with the anticipated date for connection over the lifetime of the project. The dedicated webpage can be accessed here: www.nbi.ie.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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176. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which the ongoing provision of modern, high-quality, high-speed broadband is being made available throughout Ireland by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46025/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, 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 over 560,000 premises, including over 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.

I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, as of 9 September 2022, over 88,000 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 25 counties, with over 75,500 premises passed across 23 counties and available for immediate connection. Construction is underway across 26 counties demonstrating that the project is reaching scale. To date, the level of connections is increasing on a daily basis and is in line with or exceeding projections.

NBI has made recent improvements to their website to enhance the provision of information to Oireachtas members. NBI has now completed a suite of changes, creating a portal that will serve as a means for Oireachtas members to proactively search for information relevant to their county/local area. The portal provides an up-to-date picture of NBI’s deployment schedule across the 227 Deployment Areas (DAs) in all 26 counties. A particular county can be selected to view an update of the overall number of premises in the Intervention Area, the overall NBP investment in the county, the number of premises passed and connected to date and the status of each of the Deployment Areas with the anticipated date for connection over the lifetime of the project. The dedicated webpage can be accessed here: www.nbi.ie.

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 9 September 2022, 716 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.

Over 430 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/