Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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54. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the roll-out of high speed rural broadband in Cork South West. [55046/22]

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 almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.

I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, as of 28 October 2022, over 97,000 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 25 counties, with over 87,700 premises passed across 25 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. with some areas exceeding expectations.

NBI has advised that over 15,289 premises in County Cork are passed with a high speed fibre broadband network and available for immediate connection.

Further details are available on specific areas within County Cork including the Deployment Areas located in South West 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.

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 at 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 28 October 2022 778, 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 there are 24 BCPs installed. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/broadband-connection-points/

81 schools have been connected for educational access by NBI in County Cork. 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/.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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56. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the efforts that are being made to improve broadband in areas in which it is particularly bad, such as an area (details supplied) and areas that have not been included in any improvement works to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55185/22]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The premises referred to in the Question are located in the BLUE area on the NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie.

BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan as commercial operators are already providing high speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. My Department defines high speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload. Under State aid rules, my Department is not permitted to displace commercial investment by intervening in areas where commercial investment exists or is planned, as to do so would be an infringement of these State Aid rules. I understand that commercial broadband providers indicate that they are in a position to offer a high speed broadband service to each of the premises identified.

Complaints about service provision are a matter to be dealt with between the consumer and the service provider in the first instance. If this avenue has been exhausted without a satisfactory resolution, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) may be able to assist further.